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THE  OLD  WOMAN 
WHO  LIVED*** SHOE 


AMANDA  M.  DOUGIAS 


i 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


Tin 


OLD  WOMAN  WHO  LIVED  n  A§HOB 


THERE'S  NO  PLACE  LIKE  HOME 

BT 

AMANDA   M.  DOUGLAS 


BOSTON 
tKE  AXD  SHEPABD,  47  FRAXKT.TX  STBEET 

NKW  YORK 
mAttTJca  T.  DILLISGHAM,  €75  BEOJLDWAY 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  In  the  year  1874,  by 

WILLIAM   F.   GILL   <fc   CO., 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


PZ 
7 


Jn  Scmrmbrancc 

OF 

JLLST  PLEASANT  SOURS  SPEXT  AT  WOODSLDJf, 

Ellis   Storg 

OF   LOVE   AST)    FAITH,  OF   WORK    AXD   WAITISG,  A>T>    THE  GESTLB 

VIRTUES    THAT    ARE    SOSE   THE   LESS    HEROIC   FOK 

BLOOXIKG   IN   THE   CEXTRE    OF   THB 

HOME    CIRCLE, 

IS  DEDICATED   TO   THE  BAPPY  HOUSEHOLD 

OF 

MR.  and  MRS.  A.  C.  NEUMANN. 


1201517 


THE   DOUGLAS   NOVELS. 

BY  MISS  AMANDA  M.  DOUGLAS. 


hie  was  the  heroine  of  the  popular  aeries  of  Kathie  Stories  for 
;  people,  the  readers  of  which  were  very  anxious  to  know  wuh 
i  Kathie  settled  down  in  life.  HenceThis  etoiy,  charmingly  written. 


Uniform  Volume*.    Price  fl.60  Each. 

FLOYD    GRANDON'S    HONOR. 

"Faac'nating  throughout,  and  worthy  of  the  reputation  of  the  author." 
•-Philadelphia  Methodist. 

WHOM    KATHIE    MARRIED. 

Kathie  was  the  heroine' of  the  popular  aeries  of   Kathie  Stories  for 
young 
rhom  1 

LOST    IN    A    GREAT    CITY. 

"There  is  the  power  of  delineation  and  robustness  of  expression  that 
would  credit  a  masculine  hand  in  the  present  volume,  and  the  reader 
will  at  no  stage  of  the  reading  regret  having  commenced  its  perusal.  In 
eome  parts  it  is  pathetic,  even  to  eloquence."  —  San  Francinco  Pout. 

THE   OLD   WOMAN    WI.O    LIVED    IN    A    SHOE. 

"  The  romances  of  Mi.<s  Douglas's  creation  are  all  thiilliugly  interest- 
ing." —  Cambridge  Tribune. 
HOPE   MILLS;  or,  Between  Friend  and  Sweetheart. 

"  Amanda  Douglas  is  one  of  the  favorite  authors  of  American  novel- 
readers.  "  — Manchester  Minor. 

FROM    HAND    TO    MOUTH. 

"There  is  real  satisfaction  In  reading  this  book,  from  the  fact  that  we 
can  so  readily  '  take  it  home '  to  ourselves."  —  Port/and  Argus. 

NELLY    KINNARD'S    KINGDOM. 

"  The  Hartford  Religious  Herald  "  says,  "  This  story  is  so  fascinating. 
that  one  can  hardly  lay  it  dowu  after  taking  it  up." 

IN   TRUST;  or,  Dr.  Bertrand's  Household. 
"She  writes  in  a  free,  fresh,  and  natural  way;  and  her  characters  are 
never  overdrawn." — Manchester  Mirror. 

CLAUDIA. 

"  The  plot  is  very  dramatic,  and  the  ilenofiment  startling.  Claudia,  the 
heroine,  is  one  of  those  self-sacriticing  characters  which  it  is  the  glory  of 
the  female  sex  to  produce."  —  Boston  Journal. 

STEPHEN    DANE. 

"  This  is  one  of  this  anthoi's  happiest  and  most  successful  attempts  al 
novel-writing,  for  which  a  grateful  public  will  applaud  her."  —  Herald. 

HOME    NOOK  :   or,  the  Crown  of  Duty. 
"  An  interesting  story  of  home-life,  not  wanting  in  incident,  aud  written 
In  forcible  and  attractive  style."  — Arew-York  Gi-aphic. 

SYDNIE    ADRIANCE ;    or,  Trying  the  World. 
"  The  works  of  Miss  Douslas  have  stood  the  test  of  popular  judgment, 
and  become  the  fashion.     They  are  true,  natural  in  delineation,  pure  and 
elevating  in  their  tone."  —  Express,  Easton,  Penn. 

SEVEN    DAUGHTERS. 

The  charm  of  the  story  is  the  perfectly  natural  and  home-like  air  which 
pervades  it. 

£old  by  all  booksellers,  and  sent  by  mail,  postpaid,  on  receipt  of  pri&i. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


OO^TEI^TS. 


CHAPTEB  I. 
Jew's  GRAND  DISCOVERT    . 


CHAPTEB  IL 
cr  THE  TWILIGHT 


CHAPTKE   HL 
A  CHAXCB  FOB  FLOSST  •      . 


CHAPTEB  IV. 
THE  IDENTICAL  SHOE  .       .       . 


CHAPTEB  V. 
GOOD  LUCK  FOE  JOB    .........     68 

CHAPTEB  VL 

FOKTUXES  A>T>  illSFOBTUXES       .....          .          .        M 


CHAPTEB  YTL 
THB  OLD  TCMBLEB,  AFTEK  ALI.       ......    103 

CHAPTEB  y  1  1  1  . 
FLORENCE  rs  STATE     .........    120 

CHAPTEB  IX- 
FOCBTH  OF  JCLT  ..........    137 

CHAPTEB  X. 

"WHICH  SHOULD  SHE  CHOOSE?       .......     151 

5 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
Our  OF  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST 


CHAPTER  XII. 
JOB'S  FOKTUNIS     ..........    191 

CHAPTER  XTTT. 
FBOM  GRAY  SKIES  TO  BLOB       .......    209 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
A  FLOWER-GARDEN  INDOORS     . 


CHAPTER  XV. 
How  CHAKLIB  RAN  AWAY 244 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
ALMOST  DISCOURAGED 262 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
LOST  AT  SEA 

CHAPTER  XVHL 
A  SONG  IN  THE  NIGHT       .... 


CHAPTER  XTX. 
IK  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST  AGAIN 317 

CHAPTER  XX. 
"WHEREIN  THE  OLD  SHOE  BECOMES  CROWDED        .       .       .    337 

CHAPTER  XXL 
How  THE  DREAMS  CAME  TRUE .352 

CHAPTER  XXTT. 
CHHISTMASTIDB 366 


THERE'S  V»  PLACE  LIKE  HOME. 


CHAPTER  I. 


HAL  sat  trotting  Dot  OQ  his  knee,— poor  little 
zen-faced  Dot,  who  was  jnst  gating 


dregs  of  the  measles,  and  cross  accordingly.  By  way 
of  •ifflfnpiHriiW'nt  he  <e»"g  aH  the  Mother  Goose  met- 
odies  that  he  could  remember.  At  last  he  came  to,  — 

"There  was  an  old  woman  who  bred  in  a  shoe: 
She  had  so  many  children  she  didn't  know  what  to  do; 
To  some  she  n 


and  Harry  stopped  to  catch  his  breath,  for  the  trotting 
was  of  the  rigorous  order. 

« And  a  thrashing  an  round,  and  sent  them  to  bed  I" 


Joe,  thrusting  his  shaggy  head  inctttowm- 
dow  after  tike  fashion  of  a  great  Newfoundland  dog. 

T 


8  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Dot  answered  with  a  piteous  cry,  —  a  sort  of  pro- 
longed wail,  heart-rending  indeed. 

"  Serve  you  right,"  said  Joe,  going  through  au 
imaginary  performance  with  remarkably  forcible 
gestures. 

"For  shame,  Joe!  You  were  little  once  yourself, 
and  I  dare  say  cried  when  you  were  sick.  I  always 
thought  it  very  cruel,  that,  after  being  deprived  of  their 
supper,  they  should  be  "  — 

"Thrashed!  Give  us  good  strong  Saxon  for  once, 
Flossy ! " 

Flossy  was  of  the  ambitious,  correct,  and  sentimen- 
tal order.  She  had  lovely  light  curls,  and  soft  white 
hands  when  she  did  not  have  to  work  too  hard,  which 
she  never  did  of  her  own  free  will.  She  thought  it 
dreadful  to  be  so  poor,  and  aspired  to  a  rather  aristo- 
cratic ladyhood. 

"  I  am  sorry  you  were  not  among  them,"  she  replied 
indignantly.  "  You're  a  hard-hearted,  cruel  boy !  " 

"When  the  thrashings  went  round?  You're  a 
c-r-u-e-1  girl ! "  with  a  prodigious  length  of  accent. 
"  Why,  I  get  plenty  of  'em  at  school." 

"'Trot,  trot,  trot.  There  was  an  old  woman'  — 
what  are  you  laughing  at,  Joe  ? "  and  Hal  turned  red 
in  the  face. 

"I've  just  made  a  brilliant  discovery.  O  my  poor 
buttons !  remember  Flossy's  hard  labor  and  many 
troubles,  and  do  not  bust!  Why,  we're  the  very  chil 
dren ! " 


JOE'S  GRAND  DISCOVERT.  9 

At  this,  Joe  gave  a  sadden  lurch:  you  saw  his 
head,  and  then  you  saw  his  heels,  and  the  patch  on  the 
knee  of  his  trousers,  ripped  partly  off  by  an  unlucky 
nail,  flapped  in  the  breeze ;  and  he  was  seated  on  the 
window-sill  right  side  up  with  care,  drumming  both 
bare  heels  into  the  broken  wall.  He  gave  a  prolonged 
whistle  of  satisfaction,  made  big  eyes  at  Dot,  and  then 
said  again,  — 

"  Yes,  we  are  the  very  children ! " 

"  What  children?  Joe,  you  are  the  noisiest  boy  in 
Christendom  I" 

"  Flossy,  the  old  woman  who  lived  in  a  shoe  is 
Granny,  and  no  mistake  1  I  can  prove  it  logically. 
Look  at  this  old  tumble-down  rookery :  it  is  just  the 
shape  of  a  huge  shoe,  sloping  gradually  to  the  toe, 
which  is  the  shed-end  here.  If  s  brown  and  rusty  and 
eracked  and  patched :  it  wants  heeling  and  toeing,  and 
to  be  half-soled,  greased  to  keep  the  water  out,  and 
blacked  to  make  it  shine.  It  was  a  famous  seven- 
leaguer  in  its  day ;  but,  when  it  had  lost  its  virtue,  the 
giant  who  used  to  wear  it  kicked  it  off  by  the  roadside, 
little  dreaming  that  it  would  be  transformed  into  a 
cabin  for  the  aforesaid  old  woman.  And  here  we  all 
are.  sure  enough !  Sometimes  we  get  broth,  and  some 
times  we  don't." 

Dot  looked  up  in  amazement  at  this  harangue,  and 
thrust  her  thumbs  in  her  mouth.  Hal  laughed  ont- 
ight,  —  a  soft  little  sound  like  the  rippling  of  falling 
•after. 


10  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Yes,  a  grand  discovery!  Ladies  and  gentlemen 
of  the  nineteenth  century,  I  rise  to  get  up,  to  speak 
what  I  am  about  to  say  ;  and  I  hope  you  will  treasure 
the  words  of  priceless  wisdom  that  fall  from  my  lips. 
I'm  not  backward  about  coming  forward  "  — 

Joe  was  balancing  himself  very  nicely,  and  making 
tremendous  flourishes,  when  two  brown,  dimpled  hands 
scrubbed  up  the  shock  of  curly  hair,  and  the  sudden 
onslaught  destroyed  his  equilibrium,  as  Flossy  would 
have  said,  and  down  he  went  on  the  floor  in  crab  fash- 
ion, looking  as  if  he  were  all  arms  and  legs. 

"Charlie,  you  midget!  just  wait  till  I  catch  you. 
I  haven't  the  broth,  but  the  other  thing  will  do  as 
well." 

But  Charlie  was  on  the  outside  ;  and  her  little  brown, 
bare  feet  were  as  fleet  as  a  deer's.  Joe  saw  her  skim- 
ming over  the  meadow ;  but  the  afternoon  was  very 
warm,  and  a  dozen  yards  satisfied  him  for  a  race,  so 
ae  turned  about. 

"Joe,  you  might  take  Dot  a  little  while,  I  think," 
said  Hal  beseechingly,  as  Joe  braced  himself  against 
the  door-post.  "  I've  held  her  all  the  afternoon." 

"  She  won't  come  —  will  you,  Dot?  " 

But  Dot  signified  her  gratification  by  stretching  out 
her  hands.  Joe  was  a  good-natured  fellow ;  and, 
though  he  might  have  refused  Hal  easily,  he  couldn't 
resist  Dot's  tender  appeal,  so  he  took  her  on  his  shoul- 
der and  began  trotting  off  to  Danbury  Cross.  Dot 


JOE'S  GRAND  DISCOVERT.  11 

laughed  out  of  her  sleepy  eyes,  highly  delighted  at  thia 
change  in  the  programme. 

"  Oh,  dear ! "  and  Hal  robbed  his  tired  arms.  "  I 
shouldn't  think  grandmother  would  know  what  tc  do, 
sure  enough!  What  a  host  of  us  there  are,—  six 
children ! " 

"  Fm  sure  I  do  my  best,"  said  Flossy  with  a  pa- 
thetic little  sniff.  "  But  if  s  very  hard  to  be  an  orphan 
and  poor.*' 

"And  when  there  are  six  of  us,  and  we  are  all 
orphans,  and  all  poor,  it  must  be  six  times  as  hard," 
put  in  Joe  with  a  sly  twinkle. 

Then  he  changed  Dot  from  her  triumphal  position 
on  his  shoulder  to  a  kind  of  cradle  in  his  arms.  Her 
eyelids  drooped,  and  she  began  to  croon  a  very  sleepy 
tune. 

Hal  looked  out  of  the  window,  over  to  the  woods, 
where  the  westward  sun  was  making  a  wonderful  land 
of  gold  and  crimson.  Sometimes  he  had  beautiful 
dreams  of  that  softened  splendor,  but  now  they  were 
mercenary.  If  one  could  only  coin  it  all  into  money ! 
There  was  poor  grandmother  slaving  away,  over  at 
Mrs.  Kinsey's,  —  she  should  come  home,  and  be  a 
princess,  to  say  the  very  least. 

"  I  guess  I'll  clear  up  a  bit!"  said  Hal,  coming 
down  from  the  clouds,  and  glancing  round  at  the  dis- 
orderly room.  "  Granny  will  be  most  tired  to  death 
when  her  day's  work  is  done.  Flossy,  if  you  wouldn't 
mind  going  in  the  other  room." 


12  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Flossy  gathered  up  her  skirts  and  her  crocheting , 
and  did  not  take  the  invitation  at  all  amiss. 

Then  Hal  found  the  stubby  broom,  and  swept  the 
floor ;  dusted  the  mantle,  after  removing  an  armful  of 
"  trash ; "  went  at  the  wooden  chairs,  that  had  once 
been  painted  a  gorgeous  yellow  with  green  bars ;  and 
cleared  a  motley  accumulation  of  every  thing  off  of  the 
the  table,  hanging  up  two  or  three  articles,  and  tucking 
the  rest  into  a  catch-all  closet.  A  quaint  old  pitcher, 
that  had  lost  both  spout  and  handle,  was  emptied  of 
some  faded  flowers,  and  a  fresh  lot  cut,  —  nothing 
very  choice ;  but  the  honsy suckle  scented  the  room,  and 
the  coxcombs  gave  their  crimson  glow  to  the  top  of 
the  pyramid. 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Betty,"  said  Joe,  "  you've  made  quite 
a  palace  out  of  your  end  of  the  shoe,  and  this  miserable 
little  Dot  has  gone  to  sleep  at  last.  Shall  I  put  her  in 
the  cradle,  or  drop  her  down  the  well?" 

Hal  smiled  a  little,  and  opened  the  door.  It  was 
the  best  room,  quite  large,  uncarpeted,  but  clean  ;  and 
though  the  bed  was  covered  with  a  homemade  spread, 
it  was  as  white  as  it  could  be.  The  cradle  was  not 
quite  as  snowy  ;  for  the  soiled  hands  that  tumbled  Dot 
in  and  out  left  some  traces. 

To  get  her  safely  down  was  a  masterpiece  of 
strategy.  Joe  bumped  her  head  ;  and  Hal  took  her  in 
his  arms,  hushing  her  in  a  low,  motherly  fashion,  and 
pressing  his  brown  cheek  to  hers,  which  looked  the 


JOE'S  GRAND  DISCOVERT.  13 

color  of  milk  that  had  been  skimmed,  and  then  split  in 
two,  and  skimmed  again.  She  made  a  dive  in  Hal's 
hair  with  her  little  bird's  claw  of  a  hand,  bnt  presently 
dropped  asleep  again. 

"  I  guess  she'll  take  a  good  long  nap,"  whispered 
Hal,  quite  relieved. 

"  I'm  sure  she  ought,"  sighed  Florence. 

Hal  went  back  to  his  housekeeping.  He  was  as 
handy  as  a  girl,  any  day.  He  pulled  some  radishes, 
and  put  them  in  a  bowl  of  cold  water,  and  chopped 
some  lettuce  and  onions  together,  the  children  were  all 
so  fond  of  it.  Then  he  gleaned  the  raspberries,  and 
filled  the  saucer  with  currants  that  were  not  salable. 

Joe,  in  the  meanwhile,  had  gone  after  Mrs.  Green's 
cows.  She  gave  them  a  quart  of  milk  daily  for  driv- 
ing the  cows  to  and  from  the  pasture,  and  doing  odd 
chores. 

"If  you  set  the  children,  send  them  home,"  had 
been  Hal's  parang  injunction.  "  Grandmother  will 
soon  be  here." 

She  came  before  Joe  returned.  The  oddest  looking 
little  old  woman  that  you  ever  saw.  Florence,  at 
fourteen,  was  half  a  head  taller.  Thin  and  wrinkled 
and  sunburned  ;  her  flaxen  hair  turning  to  silver,  and 
yet  obstinately  full  of  little  curls ;  her  blue  eyes  pale 
and  washed  out,  and  hosts  of  "  crows'-feet "  at  the 
corners ;  and  her  voice  cracked  and  tremulous. 

Poor  Grandmother  Kenneth !  She  had  worked  hard 
a 


14  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

enough  in  her  day,  and  was  still  forced  to  keep  it  up, 
now  that  it  was  growing  twilight  with  her.  But  I 
don't  believe  there  was  another  as  merry  a  houseful  of 
children  in  all  Madison. 

Joe's  discovery  was  not  far  out  of  the  way.  The 
old  woman,  whose  biography  and  family  troubles  were 
so  graphically  given  by  Mother  Goose,  died  long  be- 
fore our  childhood  ;  but  I  think  Granny  Kenneth  must 
have  looked  like  her,  though  I  fancy  she  was  better 
natured.  As  for  the  children,  many  and  many  a 
time  she  had  not  known  what  to  do  with  them,  —  when 
they  were  hungry,  when  they  were  bad,  when  their 
clothes  were  worn  out  and  she  had  nothing  to  make 
new  ones  with,  when  they  had  no  shoes ;  and  yet 
she  loved  the  whole  six,  and  toiled  for  them  without  a 
word  of  complaint. 

Her  only  son,  Joe,  had  left  them  to  her,  —  a  trouble- 
some legacy  indeed ;  but  at  that  time  they  had  a 
mother  and  a  very  small  sum  of  money.  Mrs.  Joe 
was  a  pretty,  helpless,  inefficient  body,  who  continually 
fretted  because  Joe  did  not  get  rich.  When  the  poor 
fellow  lay  on  his  death-bed,  his  disease  aggravated  by 
working  when  he  was  not  able,  he  twined  his  arms 
around  his  mother's  neck,  and  cried  with  a  great 
gasp, — 

"  You'll  be  kind  to  them,  mother,  and  look  after 
them  a  little.  God  will  help  you,  I  know.  I  should 
like  to  live  for  their  sakes." 


JOE'S  GRAND  DISCOVERT.  15 

A  month  or  two  after  this.  Dot  was  born.  Now  that 
her  dear  Joe  was  dead,  there  was  no  comfort  in  the 
world ;  so  the  frail,  pretty  little  thing  grieved  herself 
away,  and  went  to  sleep  beside  him  in  the  church- 
yard. 

The  neighbors  made  a  great  outcry  when  Grand- 
Mother  Kenneth  took  the  children  to  her  own  little 
cottage. 

"  What  could  she  do  with  them?  Why,  they  win  all 
starve  in  a  bunch,"  said  one. 

"  Florence  and  Joe  might  be  bound  out,"  proposed 
another. 

A  third  was  for  sending  them  to  the  almshoose,  or 
putting  them  in  some  orphan  asylum ;  but  fire  years 
had  come  and  gone,  and  they  had  not  starved  yet, 
though  once  or  twice  granny's  heart  had  quaked  for 
fear. 

Every  one  thought  it  would  be  such  a  blessing  if 
Dot  would  only  die.  She  had  been  a  sight  of  trouble 
during  the  five  years  of  her  life.  First,  she  had  the 
whooping  cough,  which  lasted  three  times  as  long  as 
with  any  ordinary  child.  Then  she  fell  out  of  the 
window,  and  broke  her  collar-bone ;  and  when  she  was 
just  over  that,  it  was  the  water-pox.  The  others  had 
the  mumps,  and  Dof  s  share  was  the  worst  of  alL 
Kit  had  the  measles  in  the  lightest  possible  form,  and 
actually  had  to  be  tied  in  bed  to  make  him  stay  there ; 
while  it  nearly  killed  poor  Dot,  who  had  been  suffering 


16  THERE'S    JVO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

from  March  to  midsummer,  and  was  still  poor  as  a 
crow,  and  cross  as  a  whole  string  of  comparisons. 

But  G-ranny  was  patient  with  it  all.  The  very  sweet- 
est old  woman  in  the  world,  and  the  children  loved  her 
in  their  fashion  ;  but  they  seldom  realized  all  that  she 
was  doing  for  them.  And  though  some  of  her  neigh- 
bors appreciated  the  toil  and  sacrifice,  the  greater  part 
of  them  thought  it  very  foolish  for  her  to  be  slaving 
herself  to  death  for  a  host  of  beggarly  grandchildren. 

"  Well,  Hal !  "  she  exclaimed  in  her  rather  shrill  but 
cheery  voice,  "  how's  the  day  gone?" 

"  Pretty  well :  but  you're  tired  to  death.  I  suppose 
Mrs.  Kinsey's  company  came,  and  there  was  a  grand 
feast?" 

"  Grand  !  I  guess  it  was.  Such  loads  of  pies  and 
puddings  and  kettles  of  berries  and  tubs  of  cream  "  — 

Granny  paused,  out  of  breath  from  not  having  put  in 
any  commas. 

"  Ice-cream,  you  mean?    Freezers,  they  call  'em." 

"  You  do  know  ever}'  thing,  Hal ! "  And  granny 
laughed.  "  I  can't  get  all  the  new-fangled^names  and 
notions  in  my  head.  There  was  Grandmother  Kinse}7, 
neat  as  a  new  pin,  and  children  and  grandchildren,  and 
aunts  and  cousins.  But  it  was  nice,  Hal." 

The  boy  smiled,  thinking  of  them  all. 

"Half  of  the  goodies  '11  spile,  I  know.  Mrs.  Kin- 
sey  packed  me  a  great  basket  full ;  and,  Hal,  here's  two 
dollars.  I'm  clean  tuckered  out." 


JOE'S  GRAXD  DISCOVERT.  17 

"  Then  you  just  sit  stiU,  and  let  me  'tend  to  you. 
Dot's  asleep ;  and  if  I  haven't  worried  with  her  this 
afternoon !  That  child  ought  to  grow  up  a  wonder, 
she's  been  so  much  trouble  to  us  all.  Joe's  gone 
after  the  cows,  and  Florence  is  busy  as  a  bee.  Oh, 
what  a  splendid  basket  full !  Why,  we  shall  feast  like 
kings!" 

With  that  Hal  began  to  unpack,  — a  plate  full  of  cut 
cake,  biscuits  by  the  dozen,  cold  chicken,  delicious 
slices  of  ham,  and  various  other -delicacies. 

"  Well  only  have  a  few  to-night,"  said  Hal  econom 
ically.  "  Tisn't  every  day  that  we  have  such  a  wind- 
fall. Til  put  these  out  of  the  children's  sight;  for 
there  they  come." 

The  "  children  "  were  Charlie  and  Kit,  with  barely  a 
year  between ;  Kit  being  seven,  and  Charlie  —  her 
real  name  was  Charlotte,  but  she  was  such  a  tomboy 
that  they  gave  her  the  nick-name  —  was  about  eight. 
Hal  was  ten,  and  Joe  twelve. 

"  Children,"  said  Hal,  "  don't  come  in  till  you've 
washed  yourselves.  Be  quiet,  for  Dot  is  asleep." 

Thus  admonished,  Charlie  did  nothing  worse  than 
pour  a  basin  of  water  over  Kit,  who  sputtered  and 
scolded  and  kicked  until  Hal  rushed  out  to  settle 
them. 

"  If  you're  not  quiet,  you  shall  not  have  a  mouthful 
>f  supper ;  and  we've  lots  of  goodies." 

Kit  began  to  wash  the  variegated  streaks  from  hia 


18  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

face.  Charlie  soused  her  head  in  a  pail  of  water,  and 
Bhook  it  like  a  dog,  then  ran  her  fingers  through  her 
hair.  It  was  not  as  light  or  silken  as  that  of  Florence, 
and  was  cropped  close  to  her  head.  Kit's  was  almost 
as  black  as  a  coal ;  and  one  refractory  lock  stood  up. 
Joe  called  it  his  "  scalp-lock  waving  in  the  breeze." 

"Now,  Charlie,  pump  another  pail  of  water.  There 
comes  Joe,  and  we'll  have  supper." 

Charlie  eyed  Joe  distrustfully,  and  hurried  into  the 
house.  Hal  hung  up  Granny's  sun-bonnet,  and  placed 
the  chairs  around. 

"  Come,  Florence,"  he  said,  opening  the  door  softly. 

"  My  eyes  !  "  ejaculated  Joe  in  amaze.  "  Grand- 
mother, you're  a  trump." 

"  Joe  ! "  exclaimed  Hal  reproachfully. 

Joe  made  amends  by  kissing  Granny  in  the  most 
rapturous  fashion.  Then  he  escorted  her  to  the  table 
in  great  state. 

"  Have  you  been  good  children  to-day?"  she  asked, 
as  they  assembled  round  the  table. 

"  I've  run  a  splinter  in  my  toe ;  and7oh !  my  trou- 
sers are  torn  !  "  announced  Kit  dolefully. 

"  If  you  ever  had  a  whole  pair  of  trousers  at  one 
time  the  world  would  come  to  an  end,"  declared  Joe 
se:itentiously. 

"  Would  it?"  And  Kit  puzzled  his  small  brain  over 
the  connection. 

"  And  Charlie  preserves  a  discreet  silence.     Charlie, 


JOE'S  GRAUD  DI&COTEET.  19 

my  dor,  I  advise  you  to  keep  out  of  the  way  of  the 
ragmen,  or  you  will  find  yourself  on  tbe  road  to  the 


"Children!-  said  their  grandmother. 

Fun  of  fun  and  frolic  as  they  were,  the  little  heads 
bowed  reverently  as  Granny  asked  her  simple  blessing. 
She  would  as  soon  have  gone  without  < 


"I  really  don't  want  any  tiling,-  she  declared. 
"  rve been  tasting  aO  day,— a  bit  here  andabit  there, 
and  such  loads  of  things  !" 

«  Tefl  us  all  about  it,"  begged  Joe.  "And  who  was 
there.  — the  grand  Panjandrum  with  a  button  on  the 
top.  Children's  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth 
generation.* 

"  O  Joe !  if  you  only  wouldn't,"  began  Granny  im- 
ploringly. 

"No,  I  won't,  Granny;"  and  Joe  made  a  lace  as 
long  as  your  arm,  or  a  piece  of  string. 

"Of  course  I  didn't  see  'em  aH.  nor  ttdf;  but  men 
and  women  and  children  and  babies!  And  Grand- 
•other  Kmsey's  ninety-five  years  old lm 

"I  hope  ni  live  to  be  that  old,  and  have  lots  of 
people  to  give  me  a  golden  wedding,"  said  Charlie, 
with  her  month  so  full  that  the  words  were  pretty  badly 


"This  isn't  a  golden  wedding,"  said  Florence  w 
an  air  of  dignity:  "ifs  a  birthday  party." 


20  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Ho ! "  and  Joe  laughed.     ' '  You'U  be,  — 

'  Ugly,  ill-natured,  and  wrinkled  and  thin, 
Worn  by  your  troubles  to  bone  and  to  skin.'  " 

"She's  never  been  much  else,"  rejoined  Flossy, 
looking  admiringly  at  her  own  white  arm. 

"  I'm  not  as  old  as  you !  "  And  Charlie  flared  up  to 
scarlet  heat. 

"  Oh !  you  needn't  get  so  vexed.  I  was  only  think- 
ing of  the  skin  and  bone,"  said  Florence  in  a  more 
conciliatory  manner. 

«*  Well,  I  don't  want  to  be  a  <  Mother  Bunch.' " 

"No  fear  of  you,  Charlie.  You  look  like  the  people 
who  live  on  some  shore,  —  I've  forgotten  the  name  of 
the  place,  —  and,  eat  so  many  fish  that  the  bones  work 
through." 

Charlie  felt  of  her  elbows.  They  were  pretty  sharp, 
to  be  sure.  She  was  very  tall  of  her  age,  and  ran  so 
much  that  it  was  quite  impossible  to  keep  any  flesh  on 
her  bones.  ) 

"Hush,  Children!"  said  grandmother.  "I  was 
going  to  tell  you  about  the  party.  Hal,  give  me  a 
little  of  your  salad,  first." 

The  Kinseys  had  invited  all  their  relations  to  a 
grand  family  gathering.  Granny  told  over  the  pleas- 
ant and  comical  incidents  that  had  come  under  her 
notice,  —  the  mishaps  in  cooking,  the  babies  that  had 
fallen  down  stairs,  and  various  entertaining  matters. 


JOE'S  GRAND  DISCOVERT.  21 

By  that  time  sapper  was  ended.  Florence  set  oat 
to  take  some  lace  *fa»t  she  had  been  making  to  a 
neighbor;  Hal  washed  the  dishes,  and  Charlie  wiped 
them;  Joe  fed  the  chickens,  and  then  perched  himself 
astride  the  gate-post,  whistling  aU  the  tones  he  could 
remember;  Kit  and  Charlie  went  to  bed  presently; 
and  Hal  and  his  grandmother  had  a  good  talk  until 
Dot  woke  up,  strange  to  say  quite  good-natured. 

"Granny,"  said  Hal,  preparing  a  bowl  of  bread 
and  milk  for  his  little  sister,  "some  day  weTl  all  be 
grown,  and  you  won't  hare  to  work  so  hard." 

"Six  men  and  women!  How  odd  it  wffl  be!" 
returned  Granny  with  a  smile  shining  over  her  tired 
face. 

"Yes.  We'll  keep  you  like  a  lady.  You  shall 
have  a  pretty  house  to  fire  in,  and  Dot  shall  wait  upon 
you.  Won't  you,  Dot?  " 

Dot  shook  her  head  sagely  at  Granny. 

And  in  the  gathering  twilight  Hal  smiled,  remem- 
bering Joe's  conceit.  Granny  looked  happy  in  spite  of 
her  weariness.  She,  foolish  body,  was  thinking  how 
nice  it  was  to  hare  them  all,  even  to  poor  little  Dot. 


CHAPTER  n. 

PLANNING   IN  THE   TWILIGHT. 

T~T  was  a  rainy  August  day,  and  the  children  were 
-*-  having  a  glorious  time  up  in  the  old  garret.  Over 
the  house-part  there  were  two  rooms ;  but  this  above 
the  kitchen  was  kept  for  rubbish.  A  big  wheel,  on 
which  Granny  used  to  spin  in  her  younger  days, 
now  answered  for  almost  any  purpose,  from  a  coach 
and  four,  to  a  menagerie :  they  could  make  it  into  an 
elephant,  a  camel,  or  a  Iryena,  by  a  skilful  arrangement 
of  drapery. 

There  were  several  other  pieces  of  dilapidated  furni- 
ture, old  hats,  old  boots,  a  barrel  or  two  of  papers  ;  in 
fact,  a  lot  of  useless  traps  and  a  few  trophies  that  Joe 
had  brought  home ;  to  say  nothing  of  Charlie's  endless 
heaps  of  trash,  for  she  had  a  wonderful  faculty  of 
accumulation;  herbs  of  every  kind,  bundles  of  cal- 
amus, stacks  of  "  cat-tails,"  the  fuzz  of  which  flew  in 
every  direction  with  the  least  whiff  of  wind. 

The  "children"  had  been  raising  bedlam  generally. 
Toe  was  dressed  in  an  old  scuttle-shaped  Leghorn 
bonnet  and  a  gay  plaid  cloak,  a  strait  kind  of  skirt 


PLANNING  IN  THE  TWILIGHT.  23 

plaited  on  a  yoke.  Granny  had  offered  it  to  Florence 
for  a  dress,  but  it  had  been  loftily  declined.  Kit  was 
attired  as  an  Indian,  his  "  scalp-lock"  bound  up  with 
rooster  feathers  ;  and  he  strutted  up  and  down,  jabber- 
ing a  most  uncouth  dialect,  though  of  what  tribe  it 
would  be  difficult  to  say.  Charlie  appeared  in  a  new 
costume  about  every  half-hour,  and  improvised  caves 
in  every  corner ;  though  it  must  be  confessed  Joe  rather 
extinguished  her  with  his  style.  He  could  draw  in  his 
lips  until  he  looked  as  if  he  hadn't  a  tooth  in  his  head, 
and  talk  like  nearly  every  old  lady  in  town. 

Such  whoops  and  yells  and  shouts  as  had  rung 
through  the  old  garret  would  have  astonished  delicate 
nerves.  In  one  of  the  bedrooms  Granny  was  weaving 
rag-carpet  on  a  rickety  loom,  for  she  did  a  little  of 
every  thing  to  lengthen  out  her  scanty  income ;  but 
the  noise  of  that  was  as  a  whiff  of  wind  in  comparison. 

At  last  the}-  had  tried  nearly  every  kind  of  transfor- 
mation, and  were  beginning  to  grow  tired.  It  was  still 
very  cloudy,  and  quite  twilight  in  their  den,  when  Flor- 
ence came  up  stairs,  and  found  them  huddled  around  the 
window  listening  to  a  wonderful  story  that  Joe  made 
up  as  he  went  along.  Such  fortunes  and  adventures 
could  only  belong  to  the  Muuchausen  period. 

"Dear!"  exclaimed  Florence,  "I  thought  the 
chief  of  the  Mohawks  had  declared  war  upon  the 
Narragansetts,  and  everybody  had  been  scalped,  you 
subsided  so  suddenly.  You've  made  racket  enough  to 
take  off  the  roof  of  the  house  I " 


24  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  It's  on  yet,"  was  Joe's  solemn  assurance. 

"  O  Joe  !  "  begged  Charlie  :  "  tell  us  another  stoiy, 
—  something  about  a  sailor  who  was  wrecked,  and 
lived  in  a  cave,  and  found  bags  and  bags  of  money  !  " 

"That's  the  kind,  Charlie.  Flo,  come  on  and  take 
a  seat." 

"Where's  Dot?" 

"  Here  in  my  arms,"  replied  Hal ;  "  as  good  as  a 
kitten ;  aren't  you,  Dot? " 

Dot  answered  with  a  contented  grunt. 

«  Oh,  let's  all  tell  what  we'd  like  to  do !  "  said 
Charlie,  veering  round  on  a  new  tack.  "  Flo'll  want  to 
be  Cinderella  at  the  king's  ball." 

Florence  tumbled  over  the  pile  of  legs,  and  found  a 
seat  beside  Hal. 

"Well,  I'll  lead  off,"  began  Joe  with  a  flourish. 
"  First,  I'm  going  to  be  a  sailor.  I  mean  to  ship  with 
a  captain  bound  for  China ;  and  hurra !  we'll  go  out 
with  a  flowing  sea  or  some  other  tip-top  thing  !  Well,  I 
guess  we'll  go  to  China, — this  is  all  suppos'n,  you  know ; 
and  while  I'm  there  I'll  get  such  lots  of  things  !  — 
crape-shawls  and  silks  for  you,  Flossy  ;  and  cedarwood 
chests  to  keep  out  moths,  and  fans  and  beautiful  boxes, 
and  a  chest  of  tea,  for  Granny.  On  the  way  home  we 
shall  be  wrecked.  You'll  hear  the  news,  and  think  that 
I'm  dead,  sure  enough." 

"But  how  will  Flo  get  her  shawls?"  asked 
Charlie. 


IN  THE  TWILIGHT.  25 

"  Oh,  you'll  hear  presently !  That* s  way  in  the  end. 
I  shall  be  wrecked  on  an  island  where  there's  a  fierce 
native  chief;  and  first  he  and  his  men  think  they'll  kill 
me."  Joe  always  delighted  in  harrowing  op  the  feel- 
ings of  his  audience.  "So  1  offer  him  the  elegant 
shawls  and  some  money"  — 

"  But  I  thought  you  lost  them  all  in  the  wreck ! " 
interposed  quick-brained  Charlie. 

"  Oh,  no !  There's  always  something  floats  ashore, 
you  must  remember.  Well,  he  concluded  not  to  kill 
me,  though  they  have  a  great  festival  dance  in  honor 
of  their  idols ;  and  I  only  escape  by  promising  to  be 
his  obedient  slave.  I  find  some  others  who  have  been 
cast  on  that  desolate  shore,  and  been  treated  in  the 
same  manner.  The  chief  beats  us,  and  makes  us  work, 
and  treats  us  dreadfully.  Then  we  mutiny,  and  have 
a  great  battle,  for  a  good  many  of  the  natives  join 
us.  In  the  scrimmage  the  old  fellow  is  killed ;  and 
there's  a  tremendous  rejoicing,  I  can  tell  you,  for  they 
all  hate  him.  We  divide  his  treasure,  and  if  s  immense, 
and  go  to  live  in  his  palace.  Well,  no  boat  ever  comes 
along ;  so  we  build  one  for  ourselves,  and  row  to  the 
nearest  port  and  tell  them  the  chief  is  dead.  They  are 
very  glad,  for  he  was  a  cruel  old  fellow.  Then  we  buy 
a  ship,  and  go  back  for  the  rest  of  our  treasures.  We 
take  a  great  many  of  the  beautiful  things  out  of  the 
palace,  and  then  we  start  for  home,  double-quick.  If s 
been  a  good  many  years ;  and,  when  I  come  back. 


26  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Granny  is  old,  and  walking  with  a  cane,  Florence  mar- 
ried to  a  rich  gentleman,  and  Dot  here  grown  into  a 
handsome  girl.  But  won't  I  build  a  stunning  house  ! 
There'll  be  a  scattering  out  of  this  old  shoe,  I  tell  you." 

"Oh,  won't  it  be  splendid!"  exclaimed  Charlie, 
with  £  long-drawn  breath.  "  It's  just  like  a  story." 

"  Now,  Hal,  it's  your  turn." 

Hal  sighed  softly,  and  squeezed  Dot  a  little. 

"  I  shall  not  go  off'  and  be  a  sailor"  — 

*'  Or  a  jolly  young  oysterman,"  said  Joe,  by  way 
of  assistance. 

"  No.  What  I'd  like  most  of  all "  —  and  Hal  made 
a  long  pause. 

"Even  if  it's  murder,  we'll  forgive  you  and  love 
you,"  went  on  tormenting  Joe. 

"O  Joe,  don't !"  besought  Florence.  "I  want  to 
hear  what  Hal  will  choose,  for  I  know  just  what  I'd 
like  to  have  happen  to  me." 

"  So  do  I,"  announced  Charlie  confidently. 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  can  have  it,"  said  Hal  slowly ; 
"  for  it  costs  a  good  deal,  though  I  might  make  a  small 
beginning.  It's  raising  lovely  fruit  and  flowers,  and 
having  a  great  hot-house,  with  roses  and  lilies  and  dear 
white  blossoms  in  the  middle  of  the  winter.  I  should 
love  them  so  much  !  They  always  seem  like  little  chil- 
dren to  me,  with  God  for  their  father,  and  we  who 
take  care  of  them  for  a  stepmother;  though  step- 
mothers are  not  always  good,  and  the  poor  wicked 


PLANNING  IN  THE  TWILIGHT.  27 

ones  would  be  those  who  did  not  love  flowers.  Why, 
it  would  be  like  fairy-land,  —  a  great  long  hot-house, 
with  glass  over-head,  and  all  the  air  sweet  with  roses 
and  heliotrope  and  mignonette.  And  it  would  be  so 
soft  and  still  in  there,  and  so  very,  very  beautiful !  It 
seems  to  me  as  if  heaven  must  be  full  of  flowers." 

"  Could  you  sell  'em  if  you  were  poor?  "  asked  Char- 
lie, in  a  low  voice. 

4 'Not  the  flowers  in  heaven!  Charlie,  you're  a 
heathen." 

"  I  didn't  mean  that !  Don't  you  suppose  I  know 
about  heaven ! "  retorted  Charlie  warmly. 

"  Yes,"  admitted  Joe  with  a  laugh :  "  he  could  sell 
them,  and  make  lots  of  money.  And  there  are  ever 
so  many  things :  why,  Mr.  Green  paid  six  cents  apiece 
for  some  choice  tomato-plants." 

"  When  I'm  a  man,  I  think  I'll  do  that.  I  mean  to 
try  next  summer  in  my  garden." 

"May  I  tell  now?"  asked  Charlie,  who  was  near 
exploding  with  her  secret. 

"  Yes.     Great  things,"  said  Joe. 

"  I'm  going  to  run  away  I "  And  Charlie  gave  her 
head  an  exultant  toss,  that,  owing  to  the  darkness, 
was  lost  to  her  audience. 

Joe  laughed  to  his  utmost  capacity,  which  was  not 
small.  The  old  garret  fairly  rang  again. 

Florence  uttered  a  horrified  exclamation;  and  Kit 
suid,- 


28  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  I'll  go  with  you ! " 

"  Girls  don't  run  away,"  remarked  Hal  gravely. 

"  But  I  mean  to,  and  it'll  be  royal  fun,"  was  the 
confident  reply. 

"  TV  here  will  3*ou  go?  and  will  you  beg  from  door  to 
door?"  asked  Joe  quizzically. 

"No:  I'm  going  out  in  the  woods,"  was  the  un- 
daunted rejoinder.  "  I  mean  to  find  a  nice  cave ;  and 
I'll  bring  in  a  lot  of  good  dry  leaves  and  some  straw, 
and  make  a  bed.  Then  I'll  gather  berries  ;  and  I  know 
how  to  catch  fish,  and  I  can  make  a  fire  and  fry  them. 
I'll  have  a  gay  time  going  off  to  the  river  and  ram- 
bling round,  and  there'll  be  no  lessons  to  plague  a  body 
to  death.  It  will  be  just  splendid." 

"Suppose  a  bear  comes  along  and  eats  you  up?" 
suggested  Joe. 

"  As  if  there  were  any  bears  around  here  ! "  Charlie 
returned  with  immense  disdain. 

"  Well,  a  snake,  or  a  wild-cat ! " 

"  I'm  not  afraid  of  snakes." 

"  But  j-ou'd  want  a  little  bread." 

"  Oh !  I'd  manage  about  that.  I  do  mean  to  run 
awa}*  some  time,  just  for  fun." 

"  You'll  be  glad  to  run  back  again  !  " 

"  You  see,  now  !  "  was  the  decisive  reply. 

"Florentina,  it  is  your  turn  now.  We  have  had 
age  before  beauty." 

Florence  tossed  her  soft  curls,  and  went  through 
with  a  few  pretty  airs. 


IN  THE   TWILIGHT.  28 

"  I  shouldn't  run  away,"  she  said  slowly ;  "but  Td 
like  to  go,  for  all  that.  Sometimes,  as  I  sit  by  the 
window  sewing,  and  see  an  elegant  carriage  pass  by,  I 
think,  what  if  there  should  be  an  old  gentleman  in  it, 
who  had  lost  his  wife  and  all  his  children,  and  that  one 
of  his  little  girls  looked  like  —  like  me?  And  if  he 
should  stop  and  ask  me  for  a  drink,  I'd  go  to  the  well 
and  draw  a  fresh,  cool  bucketful "  — 

"From  the  north  side  —  thafs  the  coldest,"  inter 
rupted  Joe. 

"  Hush,  Joe !     No  one  laughed  at  you ! " 
"  Laugh !     Why,  I  am  sober  as  an  owl." 
"  Then  I'd  give  him  a  drink.     I  wish  we  could  have 
some   goblets :    tumblers  look  so  dreadfully  old-fash- 
ioned.    I  mean  to  buy  one,  at  least,  some  time.     He 
would  ask  me  about  myself;  and  I'd  tell  him  that  we 
were  all  orphans,  and  had  been  very  unfortunate,  and 
that  our  grandmother  was  old  "  — 

" '  Four  score  and  ten  of  us,  poor  old  maids,  — 
Four  score  and  ten  of  us, 
Without  a  penny  in  our  puss, 
Poor  old  maids,' " 

sang  Joe  pathetically,   cutting  short   the   purse    on 

account  of  the  rhyme. 

"  O  Joe,  you  are  too  bad !     I  won't  tell  any  more." 
"  Yes,  do ! "  entreated  Hal.     "  And  so  he  liked  you 

on  account  of  the  resemblance,  and  wanted  to  adopt 

you." 

a* 


30  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Exactly!  Hal,  how  could  you  guess  it?"  re- 
turned Florence,  much  mollified.  "And  so  he  would 
take  me  to  a  beautiful  house,  where  there  were  plenty 
of  servants,  and  get  me  lovely  clothes  to  wear ;  and 
there  would  be  lots  of  china  and  silver  and  elegant 
furniture  and  a  piano.  I'd  go  to  school,  and  study 
music  and  drawing,  and  never  have  to  sew  or  do  any 
kind  of  work.  Then  I'd  send  }'ou  nice  presents  home  ; 
and,  when  you  were  fixed  up  a  little,  you  should  come 
and  see  me.  And  maj-be,  Hal,  as  you  grew  older,  he 
would  help  you  about  getting  a  hot-house.  I  think  when 
1  became  a  woman,  I  would  take  Dot  to  educate." 

"  I've  heard  of  fairy  godmothers  -before,  but  this 
seems  to  be  a  godfather.  Here's  luck  to  your  old 
covey,  Florrie,  drunk  in  imaginary  champagne." 

"  Joe,  I  wish  you  wouldn't  use  slang  phrases,  nor  be 
so  disrespectful." 

"  I'm  afraid  I'll  have  to  keep  clear  of  the  palace." 

"  Oh,  if  it  only  could  be !  "  sighed  Hal.  "  I  think 
Flo  was  meant  for  a  lady." 

Florence  smiled  inwardly  at  hearing  this.  It  was 
her  opinion  also. 

"Here,  Kit,  are  you  asleep?"  And  Joe  pulled  him 
out  of  the  pile  by  one  leg.  "Wake  up,  and  give  us 
your  heart's  desire." 

Kit  indulged  in  a  vigorous  kick,  which  Joe  dodged. 

"It'll  be  splendid,"  began  Kit,  "  especially  the  piano. 
I've  had  my  hands  over  my  eyes,  making  stars  ;  and  I 
was  thinking"  — 


PLANNING  IN  THE  TWILIGHT.  31 

"That's  jnst  what  we  want,  Chief  of  the  Mohawk 
Valley.  Don't  keep  us  in  suspense." 

"  I'm  going  to  save  up  my  money,  like  some  one  Hal 
was  leading  about  the  other  day,  and  bay  a  fiddle." 

A  shout  of  laughter  greeted  this  announcement,  it 
sounded  so  comical. 

Kit  rubbed  his  eyes  in  amazement,  and  failed  to  see 
any  thing  amusing.  Then  he  said  indignantly,  — 

"  You  needn't  make  such  a  row ! " 

"  But  what  will  you  do  with  a  fiddle?  Yon  might 
tie  a  string  to  Charlie,  and  take  her  along  for  a 
monkey;  or  you  might  both  go  round  singing  in  a 
squeaky  voice,  — 

'  Two  orphan  boys  of  Switzerland.' " 

'•You're  real  mean,  Joe,"  said  Kit,  with  his  voice 
full  of  tears. 

"  Kit,  Til  give  you  the  vioiin  myself  when  I  get 
rich,"  Florence  exclaimed  in  a  comforting  tone,  her 
soft  hand  smoothing  down  the  refractory  scalp-lock; 
"but  I  would  say  violin,  it  sounds  so  much  nicer. 
And  then  you'll  play." 

"Hay!"  enunciated  Kit  in  a  tone  that  I  cannot 
describe,  as  if  that  were  a  weak  word  for  the  antici- 
pated performance.  "Fd  make  her  talk !  They'd  sit 
there  and  listen,  —  a  whole  houseful  of  people  it  would 
be,  you  know ;  and  when  I  first  came  out  with  my 
fiddle,  —  violin.  1  mean,  —  they  would  look  at  me  as  if 


82  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

they  thought  I  couldn't  do  much.  I'd  begin  with  a  slo~w 
sound,  like  the  wind  wailing  on  a  winter  night,  —  I 
guess  I'd  have  it  a  storm,  and  a  little  lost  child, 
for  you  can  make  almost  any  thing  with  a  violin ; 
and  the  cries  should  grow  fainter  and  fainter,  for  she 
would  be  chilled  and  worn  out ;  and  presently  it  should 
dr">p  down  into  the  snow,  and  there'd  be  the  softest, 
strangest  music  you  ever  heard.  The  crowd  would 
listen  and  listen,  and  hold  their  breath  ;  and  when  the 
etorm  cleared  away,  and  the  angels  came  down  for  the 
child, v it  would  be  so,  so  sad"  —  and  there  was  an 
onimous  falter  in  Kit's  voice,  "  they  couldn't  help  cry- 
ing. There'd  be  an  angel's  song  up  in  heaven ;  and 
in  the  sweetest  part  of  it  all,  I'd  go  quietly  away,  for 
I  wouldn't  want  any  applause." 

"But  you'd  have  it,"  said  Hal  softty,  reaching  out 
for  the  small  fingers  that  were  to  evoke  such  wonderful 
melody.  "  It  almost  makes  me  cry  myself  to  think 
of  it !  and  the  poor  little  girl  lost  in  the  snow,  not 
bigger  than  Dot  here ! " 

"Children!"  called  Granny  from  the  foot  of  the 
stairs,  "  ain't  3'ou  going  to  come  down  and  have  any 
supper  ?  I've  made  a  great  pot  full  of  mush." 

There  was  a  general  scrambling.  Hal  carried  Dot 
in  his  arms,  for  she  was  fast  asleep.  Two  or  three 
times  in  the  short  journey  he  stopped  to  kiss  the  soft 
face,  thinking  of  Kit's  vision. 

"  Oh,  we've  been  having  such  a   splendid   time !  " 


PLANNING  IN  THE  TWILIGHT.  33 

announced  Charlie.  "Ail  of  us  telling  what  we'd  like 
to  do ;  and,  Granny,  Joe's  going  to  build  you  an  elegant 
house ! "  with  a  great  emphasis  on  the  word,  as  Charlie 
was  not  much  given  to  style,  greatly  to  the  sorrow  and 
chagrin  of  Florence. 

Granny  gave  a  cheerful  but  cracked  treble  laugh, 
and  asked, — 

"  Whaf  11  he  build  it  of,  my  dear,  —  corn-cobs  ?  " 

'•Oh,  a  real  house!  He's  going  to  make  lots  of 
money,  Joe  is,  and  get  shipwrecked." 

Granny  shook  her  head,  which  made  the  little  white 
curls  bob  around  oddly  enough. 

'*  How  you  do  mix  up  things,  Charlie,"  said  Joe, 
giving  her  a  poke  with  his  elbow.  "  You're  a  perfect 
harum-scarum !  I  don't  wonder  you  want  to  live  in  the 
woods.  Go  look  at  your  head:  it  stands  out  nine 
ways  for  Sunday !  " 

Charlie  ran  her  fingers  through  her  hair,  her  usual 
manner  of  arranging  it. 

"  Granny,  here's  this  little  lamb  fast  asleep.  She's 
grown  to  be  one  of  the  best  babies  in  the  world ; "  and 
Hal  kissed  her  again. 

He  had  such  a  tender,  girlish  heart,  that  any  thing 
weak  or  helpless  always  appealed  to  him.  Their  sleek, 
shining  Tabby  had  been  a  poor,  forlorn,  broken-legged 
kitten  when  he  found  her ;  and  there  was  no  end  to  the 
birds  and  chickens  that  he  nursed  through  accidents. 

But  for  a  fortnight  Dot  had  been  improving,  it  must 


84  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

be  confessed,  being  exempt  from  disease  and  broken 
bones. 

"  Poor  childie !     Just  lay  her  in  the  bed,  Hal." 

There  was  a  huge  steaming  dish  of  mush  in  the 
middle  of  the  table  ;  and  the  hungry  children  went  at  it 
in  a  vigorous  manner.  Some  had  milk,  and  some  had 
molasses ;  and  they  improvised  a  dessert  by  using  a 
little  butter,  sugar,  and  nutmeg.  They  spiced  their 
meal  by  recounting  their  imaginary  adventures ;  but 
Granny  was  observed  to  wipe  away  a  few  tears  over 
the  shipwreck. 

"It  was  all  make  believe,"  said  Joe  sturdily. 
"  Lots  of  people  go  to  sea,  and  don't  get  wrecked." 

"  But  I  don't  want  you  to  go,"  Granny  returned  in  a 
broken  tone  of  voice. 

"Pooh!"  exclaimed  Joe,  with  immense  disdain. 
"Don't  people  meet  with  accidents  on  the  land? 
Wasn't  Steve  Holder  killed  in  the  mill.  And  if  I  was  on 
the  cars  in  a  smash-up,  I  couldn't  swim  out  of  that ! " 

Joe  took  a  long  breath,  fancying  that  he  had  estab- 
lished his  point  beyond  a  cavil. 

"  But  sailors  never  make  fortunes,"  went  on  Granny 
hesitatingly. 

"  Captains  do,  though ;  and  it's  a  jolly  life.  Besides, 
we  couldn't  all  stay  in  this  little  shanty,  unless  we 
made  nests  in  the  chimney  like  the  swallows ;  and  I 
don't  know  which  would  tumble  down  first,  —  we  ot 
the  chimney." 

Charlie  laughed  at  the  idea. 


PLANNING  IN  THE  TWILIGHT.  85 

"  I  shall  stay  with  you  always,  Granny,"  said  Hal 
tenderly.  "  And  Dot,  you  know,  will  be  growing  into 
a  big  girl  and  be  company  for  us.  We'll  get  along 
nicely,  never  fear." 

Some  tears  dropped  unwittingly  into  Granny's  plate, 
and  she  didn't  w-~.  &*.;  mure  supper.  It  was  foolish, 
of  course.  She  ought  to  be  thankful  to  hare  them  all 
out  of  the  way  and  doing  for  themselves.  Here  she 
was.  over  fifty,  and  had  worked  hard  from  girlhood. 
Some  day  she  would  be  worn  out. 

But,  in  spite  of  all  their  poverty  and  hardship,  she 
had  been  very  happy  with  them ;  and  theirs  were  by  no 
means  a  forlorn-looking  set  of  faces.  Each  one  had  a 
little  beauty  of  its  own ;  and,  though  they  were  far  from 
being  pattern  children,  she  loved  them  dearly  in  spite 
of  their  faults  and  roughnesses.  And  in  their  way  they 
loved  her,  though  sometimes  they  were  great  torments. 

And  so  at  bedtime  they  all  crowded  round  to  kiss 
the  wrinkled  face,  unconsciously  softened  by  the 
thought  of  the  parting  that  was  to  come  somewhere 
along  their  lives.  But  no  one  guessed  how  Granny 
held  little  Dot  in  her  arms  that  night,  and  prayed  in 
her  quaint,  fervent  fashion  that  she  might  live  to  see 
them  all  grown  up  and  happy,  good  and  prosperous 
men  and  women,  and  none  of  them  straying  far  from 
the  old  home-nest. 

I  think  God  listened  with  watchful  love.  No  one 
else  would  have  made  crooked  paths  so  straight. 


CHAPTER  in 

A   CHANCE   FOR   FLOSSY. 

rTIHE  vacation  had  come  to  an  end,  and  next  week 
••-  the  children  were  to  go  to  school  again.  Flor- 
ence counted  up  her  small  hoard ;  for  though  she  did 
not  like  to  sweep,  or  wash  dishes,  she  was  industrious  in 
other  ways.  She  crocheted  edgings  and  tidies,  made 
lamp-mats,  toilet-sets,  and  collars,  and  had  earned* 
sixteen  dollars.  Granny  would  not  have  touched  a 
penny  of  it  for  the  world. 

So  Florence  bought  herself  two  pretty  delaine  dress- 
es for  winter  wear,  and  begged  Granny  to  let  Miss 
Brown  cut  and  fit  them.  Florence  had  a  pretty,  slen- 
der figure ;  and  she  was  rather  vain  of  it.  Her  two 
dresses  had  cost  seven  dollars,  a  pair  of  tolerably 
nice  boots  three  and  a  half,  a  plaid  shawl  four,  and  then 
she  had  indulged  in  the  great  luxury  of  a  pair  of  kid 
gloves. 

It  had  come  about  in  this  wise.  Mrs.  Day  had  pur- 
chased them  in  New  York,  but  they  proved  too  small 
for  her  daughter  Julia.  She  was  owing  Florence  a  dol- 
lar ;  so  she  said,  — 

36 


A   CHANCE  FOR  FLOSSY.  87 

"Now,  if  von  have  a  mind  to  take  these  gloves, 
Florence,  I'd  let  you  have  them  for  seventy-five  cents. 
I  bought  them  very  cheap :  they  ask  a  dollar  and  a 
quarter  in  some  stores ;  "  and  she  held  them  up  in  their 
most  tempting  light. 

Florence  looked  at  them  longingly. 

"  They  are  lovely  kid,  and  such  a  beautiful  color ! 
Green  is  all  the  fashion,  and  you  have  a  new  green 
dress." 

There  was  a  pair  of  nice  woollen  gloves  at  the  store 
for  fifty  cents ;  and  although  they  were  rather  clumsy, 
still  Florence  felt  they  would  be  warmer  and  more  use- 
ful. 

"  I  don't  know  as  I  can  spare  you  the  dollar  now," 
continued  Mrs.  Day,  giving  the  dainty  little  gloves  a 
most  aggravating  stretch. 

"  I'd  like  to  have  them,"  said  Florence  hesitatingly. 

"I  suppose  your  grandmother  won't  mind?  Your 
money  is  your  own." 

Now,  Mrs.  Day  knew  that  it  was  wrong  to  tempt 
Florence ;  but  the  gloves  were  useless  to  her,  and  she 
felt  anxious  to  dispose  of  them. 

"  Grandmother  said  I  might  spend  all  my  money  for 
clothes,"  was  the  rather  proud  reply. 

"  Kid  gloves  always  look  so  genteel,  and  are  so 
durable.  You  have  such  a  pretty  hand  too." 

"  I  guess  I  will  take  them,"  Florence  said  faintly. 

So  Mrs.  Day  gave  her  the  gloves  and  twenty-five 
4 


38  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

cents.  Florence  carried  them  home  in  secret  triumph, 
and  put  them  in  her  drawer  in  Granny's  big  bureau. 
She  had  not  told  about  them  yet ;  and  sometimes  they 
were  a  heavier  burden  than  you  would  imagine  so  small 
a  pair  of  gloves  could  possibly  be. 

Joe  had  earned  a  little  odd  change  from  the  fanners 
round,  and  bought  himself  a  pair  of  new  trousers  and 
a  new  pair  of  boots ;  while  Hal  had  been  maid-of-all- 
work  in  doors,  and  head  gardener  out  of  doors. 

"  Just  look  at  these  potatoes  ! "  he  said  in  triumph 
to  Granny.  "  There's  a  splendid  binful,  and  it'll  last 
all  winter.  And  there'll  be  cabbage  and  pumpkins 
and  marrow- squash  and  Lima  beans,  and  lots  of  corn 
for  the  chickens.  The  garden  has  been  a  success  this 
summer." 

"And  you've  worked  early  and  late,"  returned 
Granny  in  tender  triumph.  "  There  isn't  such  another 
boy  in  the  State,  I'll  be  bound ! "  And  she  gave  him 
the  fondest  of  smiles. 

"  But  the  best  of  all  is  Dot.  She's  actually  getting 
Cat,  Granny ;  and  she  has  a  dimple  in  her  cheek.  Why, 
ehe'll  be  almost  as  pretty  as  Flossy  ! " 

Granny  gave  the  little  one  a  kiss. 

"  She's  as  good  as  a  kitten  when  she  is  well,"  was 
the  rejoinder,  in  a  loving  tone. 

Kit  and  Charlie  still  romped  like  wild  deers.  They 
had  made  a  cave  in  the  wood,  and  spent  whole  days 
there ;  but  Charlie  burned  her  fingers  roasting  a  bird, 


A  CHANCE  FOR  FLOSSY.  39 

and  went  back  to  potatoes  and  corn,  that  could  be  put 
in  the  ashes  without  so  much  risk. 

The  old  plaid  cloak  had  been  made  over  for  a  school- 
dress,  and  Charlie  thought  it  quite  grand.  Kit  and 
Hal  had  to  do  the  best  they  could  about  clothes. 

"Never  mind  me,  Granny,"  Hal  said  cheerfully; 
though  he  couldn't  help  thinking  of  his  patched  Sun- 
day jacket,  which  was  growing  short  in  the  sleeves 
for  him. 

So  on  Saturday  the  children  scrubbed  and  scoured 
and  swept,  and  made  the  place  quite  shine  again.  Hal 
arranged  the  flowers,  and  then  they  all  drew  a  restful 
breath  before  the  supper  preparations  began. 

"There's  Mrs.  Van  Wyck  coming!"  and  Charlie 
flew  up  the  lane,  dashing  headlong  into  the  house,  to 
the  imminent  peril  of  her  best  dress,  which  she  had 
been  allowed  to  put  on  for  an  hour  or  two. 

"  Mrs.  Van  Wyck ! " 

Granny  brushed  back  her  bobbing  flaxen  curls, 
washed  Dof  s  face  over  again  with  the  nearest  white 
cloth,  which  happened  to  be  Flossy's  best  handker- 
chief that  she  had  been  doing  up  for  Sunday. 

"  Oh ! "  the  young  lady  cried  in  dismay,  and  then 
turned  to  make  her  prettiest  courtesy.  Mrs.  Van 
Wyck  was  very  well  off  indeed,  and  lived  in  quite  a  pre- 
tentious cottage,  —  villa  she  called  it ;  but,  as  she  had 
a  habit  of  confusing  her  Vs  and  W's,  Joe  re-christened 
it  the  Van  Wyck  Willow. 


40  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Good-afternoon,  Mrs.  Kenneth.  How  d'y  do,  Flor- 
ence ?  " 

Florence  brought  out  a  chair,  and,  with  the  most 
polite  air  possible,  invited  her  to  be  seated. 

Mrs.  Van  Wyck  eyed  her  sharply. 

"  'Pears  to  me  }TOU  look  quite  fine,"  she  said. 

Florence  wore  a  white  dress  that  was  pretty  well 
out-grown,  and  had  been  made  from  one  of  her  moth- 
er's in  the  beginning.  It  had  a  good  many  little 
darns  here  and  there,  and  she  was  wearing  it  for  the 
last  time.  She  had  tied  a  blue  ribbon  in  her  curls, 
and  pinned  a  tiny  bouquet  on  her  bosom.  She  looked 
very  much  dressed,  but  that  was  pretty  Flossy's  mis- 
fortune. 

Mrs.  Van  Wyck  gathered  up  her  silk  gown,  —  a 
great  staring  brocade  in  blue  and  gold,  that  might 
have  been  her  grandmother's,  it  looked  so  ancient  in 
style. 

"  I've  come  over  on  some  business,"  she  began,  with 
an  important  air  and  a  nysterious  shake  of  the  head. 

Granny  sat  down,  and  took  Dot  upon  her  lap.  Kit 
and  Charlie  peered  out  of  their  hiding-places,  and  Joe 
perched  himself  upon  the  window-sill. 

"  How  do  }*ou  ever  manage  with  all  this  tribe?" 
And  Mrs.  Van  Wyck  gave  each  of  them  a  scowl. 

"  There's  a  houseful,"  returned  Granny,  "  but  we  do 
get  along." 

"  Tough  scratching,  I  should  say." 


A  CHANCE  FOR  FLOSSY.  41 

•*  And  poor  pickings  the  chickens  might  add,  if  they 
had  such  an  old  hen,"  commented  Joe  soto  voce. 
"  There'd  he  something  worse  than  clucking.'' 

Hal  couldn't  help  laughing.  Mrs.  Van  Wyck  was 
so  ruffled  and  frilled,  so  full  of  ends  of  ribbon  about 
the  head  and  neck,  that  she  did  look  like  a  setting  hen 
disturbed  in  the  midst  of  her  devotions. 

"  Them  children  haven't  a  bit  of  manners,"  declared 
Mrs.  Van  Wyck,  in  sublime  disregard  of  syntax. 
"  Trot  off,  all  of  you  but  Florence :  I  have  something 
to  say  to  your  grandmother." 

Joe  made  a  somerset  out  of  the  window,  and  placed 
himself  in  a  good  listening  position ;  Hal  went  out  and 
sat  on  the  door-step ;  and  Charlie  crawled  under  the 
table. 

*'  I  don't  see  how  you  manage  to  get  along  with  such 
a  houseful.  I  always  did  wonder  at  your  taking  'em." 

44  Oh !  we  do  pretty  well,"  returned  Granny  cheerily. 

**  They're  growing  big  enough  to  help  themselves  a 
little.  Why  don't  you  bind  Joe  out  to  some  of  the 
farmers.  Such  a  great  fellow  ought  to  be  doing  some- 
thing besides  racing  round  and  getting  into  mischief." 

Joe  made  a  series  of  such  polite  evolutions,  that  Hal 
ran  to  the  gate  to  have  a  good  laugh  without  being 
heard. 

"He's  going  to  school,"  said  Granny  innocently. 
"  They  all  begin  on  Monday." 

"  Going  to  school  ?  "    And  Mrs.  Van  Wyck  elevated 


42  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

her  voice  as  if  she  thought  them  all  deaf.  "  Why,  1 
never  went  to  school  a  day  after  I  was  twelve  year 
old,  and  my  father  was  a  well-to-do  farmer.  There's 
no  sense  in  children  having  so  much  book-larnin'.  It 
makes  'em  proud  and  stuck  up,  and  good  for  nothing. 

"Oh!  where's  that  dog?  Put  him  out!  Put  him 
out !  I  can't  bear  dogs.  And  the  poorer  people  are, 
the  more  dogs  the}-'!!  keep." 

Joe,  the  incorrigible,  was  quite  a  ventriloquist  for  his 
years  and  size.  He  had  just  made  a  tremendous  ki-yi, 
after  the  fashion  of  the  most  snarling  terrier  dog,  and 
a  kind  of  scrabbling  as  if  the  animal  might  be  under 
Mrs.  Van  Wyck's  feet. 

"Oh,  my!  Take  the  nasty  brute  away.  Maybe 
he's  full  of  fleas  or  has  the  mange  "  — 

"  It  is  only  Joe,"  explained  Florence,  as  soon  as  she 
could  put  in  a  word. 

"  I'd  Joe  him,  if  I  had  him  here  !  You're  a  ruining 
of  these  children  as  I've  always  said ;  and  you  may 
thank  your  stars  if  Joe  escapes  the  gallows.  I've  pos- 
itively come  on  an  errand  of  mercy." 

"  Not  for  Joe,"  declared  the  owner  of  the  name  with 
a  sagacious  shake  of  the  head,  while  Mrs.  Van  Wyck 
paused  for  breath. 

"  Yes.  Not  one  of  them'll  be  worth  a  penny  if  they 
go  on  this  way.  Now,  here's  Florence,  growing  up  in 
idleness  "  — 

"  She  keeps  pretty  busy,"  said  Granny  stoutly. 


A  CHANCE  FOR  FLOSSY.  43 

"  Busy !  Why,  you've  nothing  for  her  to  do.  When 
I  was  a  little  girl,  my  mother  made  me  sit  beside  her, 
and  sew  patchwork ;  and  before  I  was  twelve  year  old 
I  had  finished  four  quilts.  And  she  taught  me  the 
hymn. — 

'  Satan  finds  some  mischief  still 
For  idle  hands  to  <io.' " 

"  They  always  learn  a  verse  for  Sunday,"  said 
Granny  deprecatingly. 

"  But  you  let  'em  run  wild.  I've  seen  it  all  along. 
I  was  a  talkin'  to  Miss  Porter  about  it ;  and  says  I, 
*  Now,  I'll  do  one  good  deed ; '  and  the  Lord  knows  if  s 
needed." 

Everybody  listened.  Joe  from  the  outside  made  a 
pretence  of  picking  his  ears  open  with  the  handle  of  a 
broken  saucepan. 

"  Florence  is  getting  to  be  a  big  girl,  and  ifs  high 
time  she  learned  something.  As  I  was  a  savin'  to  Miss 
Porter, '  I  want  just  such  a  girl ;  and  it  will  be  the  mak- 
ing of  Florence  Kenneth  to  fall  into  good  hands.'  " 

"But  you  don't  mean"  —  and  Granny  pausea, 
aghast. 

"I  mean  to  make  the  child  useful  in  her  day  and 
generation.  It'll  be  a  good  place  for  her." 

Mrs.  Van  Wyck  nodded  her  head  until  the  bows  and 
streamers  flew  in  every  direction. 

Granny  opened  her  eyes  wide  in  surprise. 

"  What  do  you  want  of  her,  Mrs.  Van  Wyck?  " 


44  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Charlie  peeped  out  from  between  the  legs  of  the 
table  to  hear,  her  mouth  wide  open  lest  she  should  lose 
a  word. 

"  Want  of  her?  "  screamed  the  visitor.  "  Why,  to 
work,  of  course  !  I  don't  keep  idle  people  about  me,  1 
can  tell  you.  I  want  a  girl  to  make  beds,  and  sweep, 
and  dust,  and  wash  dishes,  and  scour  knives,  and  scrub, 
and  run  errands,  and  do  little  chores  around.  It'll  be 
the  making  of  her  ;  and  I'm  willing  to  do  the  fair  thing." 

Granny  was  struck  dumb  with  amazement.  Flor- 
ence could  hardly  credit  her  ears.  Hal  sprang  up  in- 
dignantly, and  Joe  doubled  his  fists  as  if  he  were  about 
to  demolish  the  old  house  along  with  Mrs.  Van  Wj'ck. 

"Yes.  I've  considered  the  subject  well.  I  always 
sleep  on  a  thing  before  I  tell  a  single  soul.  And,  if 
Florence  is  a  good  smart  girl,  I'll  give  her  seventy-five 
cents  a  week  and  her  board.  For  six  dollars  a  month 
I  could  get  a  grown  girl,  who  could  do  all  my  work." 

Granny  looked  at  Florence  in  helpless  consternation  ; 
and  Florence  looked  at  Granny  with  overwhelming  dis- 
dain. 

"Well!  why  don't  you  answer?"  said  the  visitor. 
She  had  supposed  they  would  jump  at  the  offer. 

"  I  don't  expect  to  go  out  doing  housework,  Mrs. 
Van  Wyck,"  said  Florence  loftily. 

"  Hoity-toity !  how  grand  we  are !  I've  never  been 
above  doing  my  own  housework  ;  and  I  could  buy  and 
sell  the  whole  bunch  of  you,  a  dozen  times  over." 


A  CHASCE  FOR  FLOSSY.  45 

wouldn't  like  it,  I'm  afraid,"  said  Granny 
mildly. 

"A  fine  way  to  bring  np  children,  truly !  You  may 
see  the  day  when  you'll  be  thankful  to  hare  a  homo  as 
good  as  my  kitchen." 

There  was  a  bright  red  spot  in  Florence's  cheeks. 

"Mrs.  Van  Wyek,"  Florence  began  in  a  quiet,  lady- 
like manner,  although  she  felt  inclined  to  be  angry, 
"  grandmother  is  right:  I  should  not  like  it  I  hare 
no  taste  for  housework ;  and  I  can  earn  more  than  you 
offer  to  give  by  doing  embroidering  and  crocheting. 
Through  the  six  weeks  of  vacation  I  earned  sixteen 


"Fancy  work!    What  is   the  world    coming   to? 
Children  brought  up  to  despise  good,  honest  employ. 


"  No,  I  don't  despise  it,"  amended  Florence ;  "but 
I  do  not  like  it,  and  I  think  it  a  hard  way  of  earning  a 
little  money.  If  I  can  do  better,  of  course  I  hare  the 
right." 

Granny  was  amaaced  at  the  spirit  Florence  displayed. 

"  YouH  all  be  paupers  on  the  town  yet,  mark  my 
words.  Flaunting  round  in  white  dresses  and  ribbons, 
and"  — 

She  glanced  around  for  some  further  vanity  to  in- 
olode  in  her  inventory. 

"  I  am  sure  we  are  obliged  to  you,"  said  Granny 
mildly.  "  But  Florence  "  — 


46  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Yes,  Florence  is  too  good  to  work.  There's 
no  sense  in  such  high-flown  names.  I'd  have  called  her 
plain  Pegg3~.  She  must  curl  her  hair,  and  dress  herself 

—  oh  my  lady,  if  I  had  you,  you'd  see  ! " 

And  Mrs.  Van  Wyck  arose  in  great  wrath,  her 
streamers  flying  wildly. 

"  You'll  remember  this  when  you  come  to  beggary, 

—  refusing  a  good  home   and   plenty.     Your  grand- 
mother is  a  foolish  old  woman ;   and   you're  a  lazy, 
shiftless,  impudent  set !     I   wash  my  hands   of    the 
whole  lot." 

"  I'm  sony,"  began  Granny. 

"  There's  no  use  talking.  I  wouldn't  have  the  girl 
on  any  account.  I  can  get  her  betters  any  day. 
You'll  come  to  no  good  end,  I  can  tell  you ! " 

With  that,  Mrs.  Van  Wyck  flounced  out ;  but  at  the 
first  turn  tumbled  over  Kit,  who  had  rolled  himself  in 
a  ball  on  the  doorstep. 

Down  she  went,  and  Joe  set  up  a  shout.  Hal 
couldn't  help  laughing,  and  Charlie  ran  to  pull  out 
Kit. 

"  You  good-for-nothing,  beggarly  wretches  ! " 

While  she  was  sputtering  and  scrambling  about,  Joe 
began  a  hideous  caterwauling. 

"  Drat  that  cat !  Pity  I  hadn't  broken  his  neck  ! 
And  my  second-best  bonnet !  " 

Kit  hid  himself  in  Ms  grandmother's  gown,  sorely 
frightened,  and  a  little  bruised. 


A  CHANGE  FOR  FLOSSY.  47 

"  If  s  the  last  time  I'U  ever  step  inside  of  this  place. 
Such  an  awful  set  of  children  I  never  did  see ! " 

To  use  Joe's  expressive  phraseology,  she  "  slath- 
ered "  right  and  left,  her  shrill  voice  adding  to  the  con- 
fusion. 

Granny  watched  the  retreating  figure  with  the  ut- 
most bewilderment. 

"  The  mean  old  thing ! "  began  Florence,  half  cry- 
ing. "  Why,  I  couldn't  stand  her  temper  and  her 
scolding,  and  to  be  a  common  kitchen-girl !  " 

"  She  meant  well,  dear.  In  my  day  girls  thought 
it  no  disgrace  to  live  out." 

"  Wasn't  it  gay  and  festive,  Granny?  I  believe  I've 
burst  every  button,  laughing ;  and  you'll  have  to  put 
a  mustard  plaster  on  my  side  to  draw  out  the  soreness. 
And  oh,  Kit,  what  a  horrible  yell  you  gave !  How 
could  you  be  the  ruin  of  that  second  best  bonnet?" 

"  'Twasn't  me,"  said  Kit,  rubbing  his  eyes.  "  But 
she  most  squeezed  the  breath  out  of  me." 

"  Flossy,  here  is  your  fortune,  and  your  coach-and- 
four.  My  dear  child,  I  hope  you  will  not  be  too  much 
elated,  for  you  must  remember  "  — 

"  'Satan  finds  some  mischief  still,'  &c." 

Joe  whisked  around,  holding  Dot's  apron  at  full 
length  in  imitation  of  a  streamer. 

"  I  wonder  if  she  really  thought  I  would  go.  Scour- 
ing and  scrubbing,  and  washing  dishes.  I'd  do  with 
one  meal  a  day  first." 


48  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  She  is  a  coarse,  ill-bred  woman,"  said  Hal ;  "not 
a  bit  like  Mrs.  Kinsey." 

"We  will  not  be  separated  just  yet,"  exclaimed 
Granny,  with  a  sigh  for  the  time  that  must  come. 

"  And  I  don't  mean  to  live  out,"  was  the  emphatic 
rejoinder  of  Florence. 

"Mj  dear,  you  mustn't  be  too  proud,"  cautioned 
Granny. 

"  It  isn't  altogether  pride.  Why  should  I  wash 
dishes  when  I  can  do  something  better?" 

"  That's  the  grit,  Flossy.     I'll  bet  on  you ! " 

"  O  Joe !  don't.  I  wish  you  would  learn  to  be 
refined.  Now,  you  see  all  Mrs.  Van  Wyck's  money 
cannot  make  her  a  lady." 

Joe  put  on  a  solemn  face  ;  but  the  next  moment  de- 
clared that  he  must  keep  a  sharp  look  out,  or  some  old 
sea-captain  would  snap  him  up,  and  set  him  to  scrub- 
bing decks,  and  holystoning  the  cable. 

And  yet  they  felt  quite  grave  when  the  fun  was  over. 
Their  merry  vacation  had  ended,  and  there  was  no  tell- 
ing what  a  year  might  bring  forth. 

"  I  think  I  should  like  most  of  all  to  be  a  school- 
teacher,"  Florence  declared. 

"  You'll  have  to  wait  till  you're  forty.  Who  do  you 
s'pose  is  going  to  mind  a  little  gal  ?  " 

"  Not  you ;  for  you  never  mind  anybody,"  was  the 
severe  reply. 

Florence  felt  quite  grand  on  the  following  day,  at- 


A  CHANCE  FOR  FLOSSY.  49 

tired  in  her  new  green  delaine,  and  her  "  lovely  w  gloves. 
Granny  was  so  busy  with  the  others  that  she  never 
noticed  them ;  and  Florence  quieted  her  conscience  by 
thinking  that  the  money  was  her  own,  and  she  could 
do  what  she  liked  with  it.  She  kept  self  generally  in 
view,  it  must  be  admitted. 

Mrs.  Van  Wyck's  overture  was  destined  to  make 
quite  a  stir.  She  repeated  it  to  her  neighbors  in  such 
glowing  terms  that  it  really  looked  like  an  offer  to 
adopt  Florence ;  and  she  declaimed  bitterly  against  the 
pride  and  the  ingratitude  of  the  whole  Kenneth  family. 

Florence  held  her  head  loftily,  and  took  great  pains 
to  contradict  the  story ;  and  Joe  became  the  stoutest 
of  champions,  though  he  teased  her  at  home. 

"  But  if  s  too  bad  to  have  her  teU  everybody  such 
falsehoods ;  and,  after  all,  three  dollars  a  month  would 
be  very  low  wages.  Why,  Mary  Connor  gets  a  dollar 
a  week  for  tending  Mrs.  Hall's  baby ;  and  she  never 
scrubs  or  scours  a  thing ! " 

Truth  to  tell,  Florence  felt  a  good  deal  ir  suited. 

But  the  whole  five  went  to  school  pretty  regularly. 
Hal  was  very  studious,  and  Florence  also,  in  spite  of 
her  small  vanities ;  bat  Joe  was  incorrigible  every- 
where. 

Florence  gained  courage  one  day  to  ask  Mr.  Fielder 
about  ie  prospect  of  becoming  a  teacher.     She  wa» 
ambitions,  and  desired  some  kind  of  a  position  that 
would  be  ladylike, 
s 


50  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"It's  pretty  hard  work  at  first,"  he  answered  with 
a  smile. 

"  But  how  long  would  I  have  to  study? " 

"Let  me  see — you  are  fourteen  now:  in  three 
years  you  might  be  able  to  take  a  situation.  Public 
schools  in  the  city  are  always  better  for  girls,  for  they 
can  begin  earlier  in  the  primary  department.  A 
country  school,  you  see,  may  have  some  troublesomo 
urchins  in  it." 

Florence  sighed.  Three  years  would  be  a  long  while 
to  wait. 

"  I  will  give  you  all  the  assistance  in  my  power,"  Mr. 
Fielder  said  kindly.  "  And  I  may  be  able  to  hear  of 
something  that  will  be  to  your  advantage." 

Florence  thanked  him,  but  somehow  the  prospect 
did  not  look  brilliant. 

Then  she  thought  of  dressmaking.  Miss  Brown 
had  a  pretty  cottage,  furnished  very  nicely  indeed ;  and 
it  was  her  boast  that  she  did  it  all  with  her  own  hands. 
She  kept  a  servant,  and  dressed  quite  elegantly ;  and 
all  the  ladies  round  went  to  her  in  their  carriages. 
Then  she  had  such  beautiful  pieces  for  cushions  and 
wonderful  bedquilts,  —  "  Though  I  never  take  but  the 
least  snip  of  a  dress, "  she  would  say  with  a  virtuous 
sniff.  "I  have  heard  of  people  who  kept  a  yard  or 
two,  but  to  my  mind  it's  downright  stealing." 

There  was  a  drawback  to  this  picture  of  serene 
contentment.  Miss  Brown  was  an  old  maid,  and 


A  CHANCE  FOR  FLOSSY.  ft 

Florence  hoped  devoutly  that  would  never  be  her  fate. 
And  then  Miss  Skinner,  who  went  out  by  the  day,  was 
single  also.  Was  it  the  natural  result  of  the  employ- 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   IDENTICAL   SHOE. 

ri  1HEY  did  pretty  well  through  the  fall.  Joe  came 
-*-  across  odd  jobs,  gathered  stores  of  hickory- nuta 
and  chestnuts ;  and  now  and  then  of  an  evening  they 
had  what  he  called  a  rousing  good  boil ;  and  certainly 
chestnuts  never  tasted  better.  They  sat  round  the  fire, 
and  told  riddles  or  stories,  and  laughed  as  only  healthy, 
happy  children  can.  What  if  they  were  poor,  and  had 
to  live  in  a  little  tumble-down  shanty  1 

Sometimes  Joe  would  surprise  them  with  a  somer- 
set in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  or  a  good  stand  on  his 
head  in  one  corner. 

"  Joe,"  Granny  would  say  solemnly,  "  I  once 
knowed  a  man  who  fell  that  way  on  his  head  off  a 
load  of  hay,  and  broke  his  back." 

"Granny  dear,  'knowed'  is  bad  grammar.  When 
you  go  to  see  Florence  in  her  palace,  you  must  say 
knew,  to  rhyme  with  blew.  But  your  old  man's  back 
must  have  grown  cranky  with  rheumatism,  while  mine 
is  limber  as  an  eel." 

"  He  wasn't  old,  Joe.  And  in  my  day  they  never 
learned  grammar." 


THE  IDENTICAL  SHOE.  53 

"  Oh,  tell  us  about  the  good  old  times !  "  and  Hal's 
head  was  laid  in  Granny's  lap. 

The  children  were  never  tired  of  hearing  these  tales. 
Days  when  Granny  was  young  were  like  enchantment. 
She  remembered  some  real  witch  stories,  that  she  was 
sure  were  true ;  and  weddings,  quiltings,  husking-bees, 
and  apple-parings  were  full  of  interest.  How  they 
went  out  sleigh-riding,  and  had  a  dance ;  and  how  once 
Granny  and  her  lover,  sitting  on  the  back  seat,  were 
jolted  out,  seat  and  all,  while  the  horses  went  skim- 
ming along  at  a  pace  equal  to  Tarn  O'Shanter's.  And 
how  they  had  to  go  to  a  neighboring  cottage,  and  stay 
ever  so  long  before  they  were  missed. 

"There'll  never  be  such  times  again,"  Joe  would 
declare  solemnly. 

Florence  would  breath  a  little  sigh,  and  wonder  if 
she  could  ever  attain  to  beaux  and  merriment,  and  if 
any  one  would  ever  quarrel  about  d«"«i"g  with  her. 
How  happy  Granny  must  have  been ! 

Dot  had  a  dreadful  cold,  and  Granny  an  attack  of 
rheumatism ;  but  they  both  recovered  before  Christmas. 
Every  one  counted  so  much  on  this  holiday.  All  were 
snaking  mysterious  preparations.  Joe  and  Hal  and 
Florence  had  their  heads  together ;  and  then  it  was 
Granny  and  Florence,  or  Granny  and  Hal. 

"  I  don't  dare  to  stir  out,"  said  Joe  lugubriously, 
"  lest  you  may  say  something  that  I  shall  not  hear." 

Hal  killed  three  fine  young  geese.  Two  were  dis- 
5* 


54  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

posed  of  for  a  dollar  apiece,  and  the  third  he  brought 
to  the  kitchen  in  triumph. 

"  There's  our  Christmas  dinner,  and  a  beauty  too  1 " 
he  announced. 

Hal  had  sold  turkeys  and  chickens  enough  to  buy 
himself  a  good  warm  winter  coat. 

Granny  had  a  little  extra  luck.  In  fact,  it  was 
rather  a  prosperous  winter  with  them ;  and  there  was 
nothing  like  starvation,  in  spite  of  Mrs.  Van  Wyck's 
prediction. 

They  all  coaxed  Granny  to  make  doughnuts.  Joe 
droppped  them  in  the  kettle,  and  Hal  took  them  out 
with  the  skimmer.  How  good  they  did  smell ! 

Kit  and  Charlie  tumbled  about  on  the  floor,  and  were 
under  everybody's  feet ;  while  Dot  sat  in  her  high 
chair,  looking  wondrous  wise. 

"How'll  we  get  the  stockings  filled?"  propounded 
Joe,  when  the  supper-table  had  been  cleared  away. 

They  all  glanced  at  each  other  in  consternation. 

"But  where'll  you  hang  'em?"  asked  Kit  after  a 
moment  or  two  of  profound  study. 

"  Some  on  the  andirons,  some  on  the  door-knob, 
some  on  the  kettle-spout,  and  the  rest  up  chimney." 

"  I  say,  can't  we  have  two? "  was  Charlie's  anxious 
question. 

"  Lucky  if  you  get  one  full.  What  a  host  of  young- 
sters !  O  Granny !  did  you  know  that  last  summer 
I  discovered  that  you  were  the  old  woman  who  lived  in 
a  shoe?" 


THE  IDENTICAL  SHOE.  55 

"O  Joe!  don't;"  and  Hal  raised  his  soft  eyes 
reproachfully. 

Granny  laughed ,  not  understanding  Hal's  anxiety. 

"Because  I  had  so  many  children?" 

"  Exactly ;  but  I  think  you  are  better  tempered  than 
your  namesake." 

Granny's  eyes  twinkled  at  this  compliment. 

"It  was  an  awful  hot  day,  and  Dot  was  cross  enough 
to  kin  a  cat  with  nine  lives." 

"But  she's  a  little  darling  now,"  said  Hal,  kissing 
her.  "  I  think  the  sand-man  has  been  around ;"  and  he 
smiled  into  the  little  face  with  its  soft  drooping  eyes. 

"Yes,  she  ought  to  be  in  bed,  and  Kit  and  Charlie. 
Come,  children." 

"I  want  to  see  whafs  going  to  be  put  in  my  stock- 
ing," whined  Charlie  in  a  very  sleepy  tone. 

"  Xo,  you  can't.  March  off,  yon  small  snipes,  or 
yon  will  find  a  whip  there  to-morrow  morning." 

That  was  Joe's  peremptory  order. 

They  nad  a  doughnut  apiece,  and  then  went  reluc- 
tantly. Charlie  was  very  sure  that  she  was  wider  awake 
than  erer  before  in  her  life,  and  could  not  get  asleep 
if  she  tried  all  night.  Kit  didn't  believe  that  morning 
would  ever  come.  Hal  put  on  Dot* s  nightgown,  and 
heard  her  say,  "  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep ; "  while 
Joe  picked  up  the  cat,  and  irreverently  whispered,  — 

"How  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep, 
AH  curled  op  in  a  little  heap. 


56  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

If  I  should  wake  before  'tis  day, 
What  do  you  s'pose  the  doctor" d  say?" 

"  O  Joe ! "  remonstrated  Granny. 

''That's  Tabby's  prayers.  Tabby  is  a  high  princi- 
pled, moral,  and  intellectual  cat.  Now  go  to  sleep,  and 
dream  of  a  mouse." 

Tabby  winked  her  eyes  solemnly,  as  if  she  under- 
stood every  word  ;  and  it's  my  firm  belief  that  she  did. 

Then  Granny,  Florence,  Joe,  and  Hal  sat  in  pro- 
found thought  until  the  old  high  clock  in  the  corner 
struck  nine. 

"  Well,"  said  Joe,  "  what  are  we  waiting  for?" 

Hal  laughed  and  answered,  — 

"  For  some  one  to  go  to  bed." 

"  What  is  to  be  done  about  it? " 

Florence  looked  wise,  and  said  presently,  — 

"  We'll  all  have  to  go  in  the  other  room  except  the 
one  who  is  to  put  something  in  the  stockings." 

"  That's  it.     Who  will  begin  ?  " 

"  Not  I,"  rejoined  Joe.  "I  don't  want  to  be  poked 
down  into  the  toe." 

"And  I  can't  have  my  gifts  crushed,"  declared 
Florence. 

"Hal,  you  begin." 

Hal  was  very  cheerful  and  obliging.  Granny  lighted 
another  candle,  and  the  three  retired.  He  disposed  of 
his  gifts,  and  then  called  Joe. 

Joe  made  a  great  scrambling  around.     One  would 


THE  IDENTICAL  SHOE.  57 


he  had  Santa  Clans  himself,  and  was  squeezing 
him  into  the  small  stocking,  sleigh,  ponies,  and  all. 

"  Now,  Granny,  it's  your  turn." 

Granny  fumbled  about  a  long  while,  until  the  chil- 
dren grew  impatient.  Afterward  Florence  found  her- 
self sorely  straitened  for  room  ;  but  she  had  a  bright 
brain,  and  what  she  could  not  put  inside  she  did  up  in 
papers  and  pinned  to  the  outside,  giving  the  stockings 
a  rather  grotesque  appearance,  it  must  be  confessed. 
There  they  hung  in  a  row,  swelled  to  dropsical  propor- 
tions, and  looking  not  unlike  stumpy  little  Dutchmen 
who  had  been  beheaded  at  the  knees. 

*'  Now,  Granny,  you  must  go  to  bed,"  said  Joe  with 
an  air  of  importance.  "  And  you  must  promise  to  lie 
there  until  you  are  called  to-morrow  morning,  —  honor 
bright!" 

Granny  smiled,  and  bobbed  her  flaxen  curls. 

"Now,"  exclaimed  Florence,  bolting  the  middle 
door  so  they  would  be  sure  of  no  interruption. 

Joe  went  out  to  the  wood-shed,  and  dragged  in  & 
huge  shoe.  The  toe  was  painted  red,  and  around  the 
top  a  strip  of  bright  yellow,  ending  with  an  immense 
buckle  cat  out  of  wood. 

"  Oh,  isn't  it  splendid  !  "  exclaimed  Florence,  holding 
herbreatL. 

44  That  was  Hal's  idea,  and  ifs  too  funny  for  any 
thing.  Granny  could  crawl  into  it  head  first.  If  we 
haven't  worked  and  conjured  to  keep  Kit  and  Charlie 


58  THERE  S     NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

out  of  the  secret,  then  no  one  ever  had  a  bit  of 
trouble  in  this  world." 

Joe  laughed  until  he  held  his  sides.  It  was  a  sort 
of  safety  escape-valve  with  him. 

"  H-u-s-h ! "  whispered  Hal.     "  Now,  Flossy." 

Florence  brought  a  large  bundle  out  of  the  closet. 
There  were  some  suppressed  titters,  and  "  O's,"  and 
"  Isn't  it  jolly?" 

"  Now  you  must  tie  your  garters  round  the  bedpost, 
put  the  toe  of  your  shoes  toward  the  door,  and  go  to 
bed  backward.  That'll  make  every  thing  come  out 
just  right, "  declared  Joe. 

"  Oh,  dear !  I  wish  it  was  morning  ! "  said  Hal.  "  I 
want  to  see  the  fun." 

"  So  don't  this  child.  I  must  put  in  some  tall  snor- 
ing between  this  and  daylight." 

They  said  good-night  softly  to  each  other,  and  went 
off  to  bed.  Joe  was  so  full  of  mischief,  that  he  kept 
digging  his  elbows  into  Hal's  ribs,  and  rolling  himself 
in  the  bedclothes,  until  it  was  a  relief  to  have  him 
commence  the  promised  snoring. 

With  the  first  gray  streak  of  dawn  there  was  a  stir. 

"Merry  Christmas!"  sang  out  Joe  with  a  shout 
that  might  have  been  heard  a  mile.  "  Hal  and 
Kit"  — 

"  Can't  you  let  a  body  sleep  in  peace?"  asked  Kit 
in  an  injured  tone,  the  sound  coming  from  vasty  deeps 
of  bedclothes. 


THE  IDENTICAL  SHOE.  59 

Joe  declared  they  always  had  to  fish  him  out  of  bed, 
and  that  buckwheat  cakes  was  the  best  bait  that 
could  be  used. 

"  Why,  if  s  Christmas.  Hurrah !  "We're  going  to 
have  a  jolly  time.  What  do  you  suppose  is  in  your 
stocking?" 

That  roused  Kit.  He  came  out  of  bed  on  his  head, 
and  commenced  putting  his  foot  through  his  jacket 
sleeve. 

"  I  can't  find  my  stockings !    Who's  got  'em  ?  " 

"  The  fellow  who  gets  up  first  always  takes  the  best 
clothes,"  said  Joe  solemnly. 

With  that  he  made  a  dive  into  his.  It  was  the 
funniest  thing  in  the  world  to  see  Joe  dress.  His 
clothes  always  seemed  joined  together  in  some  curious 
fashion ;  for  he  flung  his  arms  and  legs  into  them  at  one 
bound. 

"  Oh,  dear !  Don't  look  in  my  stocking,  Joe.  You 
might  wait.  I  know  you've  hidden  away  my  shoe  on 
purpose." 

With  this  Kit  sat  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  like  a 
heap  of  ruins,  and  began  to  cry. 

Hal  came  to  the  rescue,  and  helped  his  little  brother 
dress.  But  Joe  was  down  long  before  them.  He 
gave  a  whoop  at  the  door. 

"Merry  Christmas!"  exclaimed  Florence  with  a 
laugh,  glad  to  think  she  had  distanced  him. 

"  Merry  Christmas !    The  top  o'  the  mornin'  to  you, 


60  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Granny !  Long  life  and  plenty  of  '  praties  and  pint.' 
Santa  Claus  has  been  here.  My  eyes !  ' 

Hal  and  Kit  came  tumbling  along ;  but  the  younger 
stood  at  the  door  in  amaze,  his  mouth  wide  open. 

"  Hush  for  your  life !  " 

But  Kit  had  to  make  a  tour  regardless  of  his  own 
stocking,  while  Joe  brandished  the  tongs  above  his 
head  as  if  to  enforce  silence. 

Hal  began  to  kindle  the  fire.  Charlie  crept  out  in 
her  nightgown,  with  an  old  shawl  about  her,  and  stood 
transfixed  with  astonishment. 

"  Oh,  my !  Isn't  that  jolly?  Doesn't  Granny  know 
a  bit?" 

"  Not  a  word." 

"  Mrs.  McFinnegan,"  said  Joe  through  the  chink  of 
the  door,  "  I  have  to  announce  that  the  highly  es- 
teemed and  venerable  Mr.  Santa  Claus,  a  great 
traveller  and  a  remarkably  generous  man,  has  made  a 
call  upon  you  during  the  night.  As  he  feared  to  dis- 
turb your  slumbers,  he  left  a  ball  of  cord,  a  paper  of 
pins,  and  a  good  warm  night-cap." 

Florence  was  laughing  so  that  she  could  hardly  use 
buttons  or  hooks.  Dot  gave  a  neglected  whine  from 
the  cradle. 

"  Is  Granny  ready?  "  Hal  asked  as  she  came  out. 

"  She's  just  putting  on  her  cap." 

Hal  went  in  for  a  Christmas  kiss.  Granny  held 
him  to  her  heart  in  a  fond  embrace,  and  wished  the 
best  of  every  thing  over  him. 


THE  IDENTICAL  SHOE.  61 

"  Meny  Christmas  to  you  all !  "  she  said  as  Hal 
escorted  her  oat  to  the  middle  of  the  room. 

Joe  went  over  on  his  head,  and  then  perched  himself 
on  the  back  of  a  chair.  The  rest  all  looked  at  Granny. 

"Is  this  really  for  me? "she  asked  in  surprise, 
though  the  great  placard  stared  her  in  the  face. 

The  children  set  up  a  shout.  Kit  and  Charlie 
paused,  open-mouthed,  in  the  act  of  demolishing  some- 
thing. 

"Why,  I  never"  — 

"  Tumble  it  out,"  said  Joe. 

"  This  great  shoe  full "  — 

Florence  handed  the  first  package  to  Granny.  She 
opened  it  in  amaze,  as  if  she  really  could  not  decide 
whether  it  belonged  to  her  or  not. 

There  was  a  paper  pinned  on  it,  "  A  Merry  Christ- 
mas from  Mrs.  Kinsey." 

A  nice  dark  calico  dress-pattern,  at  which  Granny 
was  so  overcome  that  she  dropped  into  the  nearest 
chair. 

Next  a  pair  of  gloves  from  Joe ;  a  pretty,  warm 
hood  from  Mrs.  Howard,  the  clergyman's  wife ;  a  bowl 
of  elegant  cranberry  sauce  from  another  neighbor ;  a 
crocheted  collar  from  Florence,  and  then  with  a  big 
lug  — 

"  Oh ! "  exclaimed  Granny,  "  is  it  a  comfortable,  or 
what?" 

A  good  thick  plaid  shawl.    Just  bright  enough  to  be 


62  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

handsome  and  not  too  gay,  and  as  soft  as  the  back  of 
a  lamb. 

"Where  did  it  come  from? " 

Granny's  voice  trembled  in  her  excitement. 

"From  all  of  us,"  said  Florence.  "  I  mean,  Joe 
and  Hal  and  me.  "We've  been  saving  our  money  this 
ever  so  long,  and  Mrs.  Kinsey  bought  it  for  us.  O 
Granny ! "  — 

But  Granny  had  her  arms  around  them,  and  was  cry- 
ing over  heads  golden  and  brown  and  black ;  and  Hal, 
little  chicken-heart,  was  sobbing  and  smiling  together. 
Joe  picked  a  big  tear  or  two  out  of  his  eye,  and  began 
with  some  nonsense. 

"  And  to  keep  it  a  secret  all  this  time !  and  to  make 
this  great  shoe !  There  never  was  such  a  Christmas 
before.  Oh,  children,  I'm  happier  than  a  queen ! " 

"  What  makes  you  cry  then,  Granny  ?  "  asked  Charlie. 
"  But  oh !  wasn't  it  funny  ?  And  if  it  only  had  runners 
it  would  make  a  sleigh.  Look  at  the  red  toe." 

They  kissed  dozens  of  times,  and  inspected  each 
other's  gifts.  Florence  had  made  each  of  the  boys 
two  dainty  little  neckties,  having  begged  the  silk  from 
Miss  Brown.  Charlie  and  Kit  had  a  pair  of  new 
mittens,  Joe  and  Hal  a  new  shirt  with  a  real  plaited 
bosom,  and  a  host  of  small  articles  devised  by  love, 
with  a  scarce  purse.  But  I  doubt  if  there  was  a 
happier  household  in  richer  homes. 

It  was  a  long  while  before  they  had  tried  every  thing, 


THE  IDENTICAL  SHOE.  63 

tasted  of  all  their  "  goodies,"  and  expressed  sufficient 
delight  and  surprise.  Dot  was  taken  up  and  dressed, 
and  Kit  found  that  she  fitted  into  the  shoe  exact.  Her 
tiny  stocking  was  not  empty.  They  all  laughed  and 
talked ;  and  it  was  nine  o'clock  before  their  simple 
bzeakfast  was  ready. 

Joe  had  to  take  a  turn  out  to  see  some  of  the  boys ; 
Florence  made  the  beds,  and  put  the  room  in  order ; 
and  Hal  kept  a  roaring  fire  to  warm  it  up,  so  that  they 
might  have  a  parlor.  Kit  and  Charlie  were  deeply 
interested  in  the  shoe  ;  and  Granny  had  to  break  out 
every  now  and  then  in  surprise  and  thankfulness. 

"  A  shawl  and  hood  and  gloves  and  a  dress !  Why, 
I  never  had  so  many  things  at  once,  I  believe ;  and 
how  hard  you  must  all  have  worked !  I  don't  see  how 
you  could  save  so  much  money ! " 

"  It's  better  than  living  with  Mrs.  Van  Wyck,"  re- 
turned Florence  with  pardonable  pride.  "  Embroider- 
ing is  real  pretty  work,  and  it  pays  well.  Mrs.  Howard 
has  asked  me  to  do  some  for  a  friend  of  hers." 

"  You're  a  wonder,  Florence,  to  be  sure.  I  can't  see 
how  you  do  'em  all  so  nice.  But  my  fingers  are  old 
and  clumsy." 

"They  know  how  to  make  pies  and  doughnuts," 
said  Kit,  as  if  that  was  the  main  thing,  after  all. 

They  went  to  work  at  the  dinner.  It  was  to  be  a 
grand  feast.  Joe  kept  the  fire  brisk ;  while  Hal  waited 
upon  Granuy,  and  remembered  the  ingredients  that 
went  to  make  ••  tip-top"  dressing. 


64  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"It  is  a  pity  you  were  not  a  Frenchman,"  said 
Florence.  "  You  would  make  such  a  handy  cook." 

Hal  laughed,  his  cheeks  as  red  as  roses. 

"I  couldn't  keep  house  without  him,"  appended 
Granny. 

There  was  a  savory  smell  of  roasting  goose,  the 
flavor  of  thyme  and  onions,  which  the  children  loved 
dearly.  Charlie  and  Kit  went  out  to  have  a  good  run, 
and  came  back  hungry  as  bears,  they  declared.  Joe 
went  off  to  see  some  of  the  boys,  and  compare  gifts. 
Though  more  than  one  new  sled  or  nice  warm  overcoat 
gave  his  heart  a  little  twinge,  he  was  too  gay  and 
happy  to  feel  sad  very  long  ;  and,  when  he  had  a  royal 
ride  down  hill  on  the  bright  sleds  that  flashed  along 
like  reindeers,  he  returned  very  well  content. 

Florence  sighed  a  little  as  she  arranged  the  table. 
Three  kinds  of  dishes,  and  some  of  them  showing  their 
age  considerably.  If  they  were  all  white  it  wouldn't 
be  so  bad.  She  did  so  love  beauty ! 

But  when  the  goose,  browned  in  the  most  delicious 
manner,  graced  the  middle  dish,  the  golden  squash  and 
snowy  mound  of  potatoes,  and  the  deep  wine  color  of 
the  cranberries  lent  their  contrast,  it  was  quite  a  pic- 
ture, after  all.  And  when  the  host  of  eager  faces  had 
clustered  round  it,  one  would  hardly  have  noticed  any 
lack.  They  were  all  in  the  gayest  possible  mood. 

Hal  did  the  carving.  The  goose  was  young  and 
tender,  and  he  disappeared  with  marvellous  celerity. 


THE  IDENTICAL  SHOE.  65 

Wings,  drumsticks,  great  juicy  slices  with  crisp  skin, 
dressing  in  abundance  ;  and  how  they  did  eat !  For  a 
second  helping  they  had  to  demolish  the  rack ;  and 
Charlie  wasn't  sure  but  picking  bones  was  the  most  fun 
of  all. 

"  Hal,  you  had  better  go  into  the  poultry  business," 
said  Joe,  stopping  in  the  midst  of  a  spoonful  of  cran- 
berry. 

"  I've  been  thinking  of  it,"  was  the  reply. 

"  I  should  think  he  was  in  it,"  said  Charlie  slyly. 

Joe  laughed. 

"  Good  for  you,  Charlie.  They  must  feed  you  on 
knives  at  your  house,  you're  so  sharp.  But  I  have 
heard  of  people  being  too  smart  to  live  long,  so  take 
warning." 

Charlie  gave  her  head  a  toss. 

"  Why  wouldn't  it  be  good? "  pursued  Joe.  "  Peo- 
ple do  make  money  by  it ;  and  I  suppose,  before  very 
long,  we  must  begin  to  think  about  money." 

"  Don't  to  day,"  said  Granny. 

"No,  we  will  not  worry  ourselves,"  rejoined  Hal. 

One  after  another  drew  long  breaths,  as  if  their 
appetites  were  diminishing.  Dot  sat  back  in  her  high 
chair,  her  hands  and  face  showing  signs  of  the  vigor- 
ous contest,  but  wonderfully  content. 

"  Now  the  pie !  "  exclaimed  Joe. 

Florence  gathered  up  the  bones  and  the  plates,  giv- 
ing Tabby,  who  sat  in  the  corner  washing  her  face,  a 


66  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

nice  feast.  Then  came  on  the  Christmas  pie,  which 
was  pronounced  as  great  a  success  as  the  goose. 

"  Oh,  dear !  "  sighed  Joe.  "  One  unfortunate  thing 
about  eating  is,  that  it  takes  away  jrour  appetite." 

"  It  is  high  time  ! "  added  Florence. 

They  wouldn't  allow  Granny  to  wash  a  dish,  bin 
made  her  sit  in  state  while  they  brought  about  order 
and  cleanliness  once  more.  A  laughable  time  they 
had ;  for  Joe  wiped  some  dishes,  and  Charlie  scoured 
one  knife. 

Afterward  they  had  a  game  at  blind-man's-buff. 
Such  scampering  and  such  screams  would  have  half 
frightened  any  passer-by.  They  coaxed  Grann}7  to  get 
up  and  join  ;  and  at  last,  to  please  Hal,  she  consented. 

If  Joe  fancied  he  could  catch  her  easily,  he  was 
much  mistaken.  She  had  played  blind-man's-buff  too 
many  times  in  her  young  days.  Such  turning  and 
doubling  and  slipping  away  was  fine  to  see  ;  and  Char- 
lie laughed  so,  that  Joe,  much  chagrined,  took  her 
prisoner  instead. 

"  Granny,  you  beat  every  thing  !  "  he  said.  "  NOTV, 
Charlie." 

Charlie  made  a  dive  at  the  cupboard,  and  then 
started  for  the  window,  spinning  round  in  such  a 
fashion  that  they  all  had  to  run ;  but  even  she  was  not 
fleet  enough. 

After  that,  Kit  and  Florence  essayed ;  and  Joe, 
manoeuvring  in  their  behalf,  fell  into  the  trap  himself, 
at.  which  thcv  all  set  up  a  shout. 


THE  IDENTICAL  SHOE.  67 

<Tm  bound  to  have  Granny  this  time,"  he  de- 
clared. 

Sure  enough,  though  he  confessed  afterwards  that 
he  peeped  a  little ;  but  Granny  was  tired  with  so  much 
running :  and,  as  the  short  afternoon  drew  to  a  close, 
they  gathered  round  the  fire,  and  cracked  nuts,  wash- 
ing them  down  with  apples,  as  they  had  no  cider. 

"  It's  been  a  splendid  Christmas !  "  said  Charlie, 
with  such  a  yawn  tliat  she  nearly  made  the  top  of  her 
head  an  island. 

"  I  wonder  if  well  all  be  here  next  year?  "  said  Joe, 
rather  more  solemnly  than  his  wont. 

"  I  hope  so,"  responded  Granny,  glancing  over  the 
clustering  faces.  Dot  sat  on  Hal's  knee,  looking 
bright  as  a  new  penny.  She,  too,  had  enjoyed  herself 
amazingly. 

But  presently  the  spirit  of  fun  seemed  to  die  out, 
and  they  began  to  sing  some  hymns  and  carols.  The 
tears  came  into  Granny's  eyes,  as  the  sweet,  untrained 
voices  blended  so  musically.  Ah,  if  they  could  always 
stay  children !  Foolish  wish ;  and  yet  Granny  would 
hare  toiled  for  them  to  her  latest  breath. 

"  Here's  long  life  and  happiness ! "  exclaimed  Joe, 
with  a  flourish  of  the  old  cocoanut  dipper.  "  A  merry 
Christmas  next  year,  and  may  we  all  be  there  to 
see!" 

Ah,  Joe,  it  will  be  many  a  Christmas  before  you 
are  all  there  again. 


CHAPTER  V. 

GOOD    LUCK   FOR   JOE. 

"  TTOORAY !  "  said  Joe,  swinging  the  molasses  jug 
—  over  his  head  as  if  it  had  been  a  feather,  or  the 
stars  and  stripes  on  Fourth  of  July  morning. 

"O  Joe!" 

"  Flossy,  my  darling,  you  are  a  poet  sure;  only 
poetry,  like  an  alligator,  must  have  feet,  or  it  will  lose 
its  reputation.  Here's  your  'lasses,  Granny;  and 
what  do  you  think?  Something  has  actually  happened 
to  me !  Oh,  my !  do  guess  quick  !  " 

"  You've  been  taken  with  the  'lirium  "  —  and  there 
Charlie  paused,  having  been  wrecked  on  a  big  word. 

"  Delirium  tremen/ous.  Remember  to  say  it  right 
hereafter,  Charlie." 

Charlie  looked  very  uncertain. 

"  Maybe  it's  the  small-pox,"  said  Kit,  glancing  up 
in  amazement. 

"Good  for  you!"  and  Joe  applauded  with  two 
rather  blue  thumb-nails.  "But  it's  a  fact.  Guess, 
Granny.  I'm  on  the  high  road  to  fortune.  Hooray  1 " 

With  that,  Joe  executed  his   usual  double-shuffle, 

68 


GOOD  LUCK  FOR  JOE.  69 

and  a  revolution  on  his  axis  hardly  laid  down  in  the 
planetary  system.  He  would  have  said  that  it  wa» 
because  he  was  not  a  heavenly  body. 

"  O  Joe,  if  you  were  like  any  other  boy !  " 

"Jim  Fisher,  for  instance,  —  red-headed,  squint- 
eyed,  and  freckled." 

"  He  can't  help  it,"  said  Hal  mildly.  "  He  is  real 
nice  too." 

"  You're  not  going  "  —  began  Granny  with  a  gasp. 

"  Yes,  I'm  going  "  —  was  the  solemn  rejoinder. 

"  Not  to  sea !  "  and  there  came  a  quick  blur  in 
Hal's  eyes. 

"  Oh,  bother,  no !  You're  all  splendid  at  guessing, 
and  ought  to  have  a  prize  leather  medal.  It's  in  Mr. 
Terry's  store ;  and  I  shall  have  a  dollar  and  a  half  a 
week !  Good  by,  Mr.  Fielder.  Adieu,  beloved  gram- 
mar ;  and  farewell,  most  fragrant  extract  of  cube- 
root,  as  well  as  birch-oil.  O  Granny !  I'm  happy  as 
a  big  sunflower.  On  the  high  road  to  fame  and  for- 
tune, —  think  of  it !  " 

"  Is  it  really  true?  "  asked  Florence. 

"  Then,  I  won't  need  to  go  for  any  thing,"  appended 
Charlie. 

"  No ;  but  you'll  have  to  draw  water,  and  split 
kindlings,  and  hunt  up  Mrs.  Green's  cows." 

"In  Mr.  Terry's  store!  What  wonderful  luck, 
Joe ! " 

Granny's  delight  was  overwhelming.    All  along  she 


70  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

had  experienced  a  sad  misgiving,  lest  Joe  should  take  a 
fancy  to  the  sea  in  real  earnest. 

"Yes.  It's  just  splendid.  Steve  Anthony's  going 
to  the  city  to  learn  a  trade.  He  had  a  letter  from  his 
uncle  to-day,  saying  that  he  might  start  right  away. 
I  thought  a  minute :  then  said  I,  '  Steve,  who's  com- 
ing here ? '  'I  don't  know,'  said  he.  ' Mr.  Terry'll 
have  to  look  round.'  'I'm  your  boy,'  said  I,  '  and  no 
mistake.'  And  with  that  I  rushed  in  to  Mr.  Terry, 
and  asked  him.  He  gave  me  some  columns  of  figures 
to  add  up,  and  questioned  me  a  little,  and  finally  told 
me  that  I  might  come  on  Monday,  and  we'd  try  for  a 
week." 

"  There's  Joe's  fortune,"  said  Hal,  "  and  a  good  one 
too.  You  will  not  need  to  go  to  sea." 

There  was  an  odd  and  knowing  twinkle  in  Joe's 
merry  hazel  eye,  which  showed  to  an  observing  person 
that  he  was  not  quite  sound  on  the  question. 

"  Tate  Dotty;"  and  two  little  hands  were  out- 
stretched. 

u  0  Dot !  you're  a  fraud,  and  more  trouble  to  me 
than  all  my  money." 

With  that,  Joe  sat  her  up  on  his  shoulder,  and  she 
laughed  gleefully. 

Granny  lighted  a  candle,  and  began  to  prepare  for 
supper.  While  Charlie  set  the  table,  Granny  brought 
out  the  griddle,  and  commenced  frying  some  Indian 
cakes  in  u  most  tempting  manner.  Joe  dropped  on  an 


GOOD  LUCK  FOR  JOE.  71 

old  stool,  and  delighted  Dot  with  a  vigorous  ride  tc 
Banbury  Cross. 

Kit  stood  beside  him,  inhaling  the  fragrance  of  the 
cakes,  and  wondering  at  the  dexterity  with  which 
Granny  turned  them  on  a  slender  knife. 

"  I  don't  see  how  you  do  it.  Suppose  you  should 
let 'em  fall?" 

"Ho!"  said  Charlie,  with  a  sniff  of  disdain. 
"Women  always  know  how." 

"But  they  can't  come  up  to  the  miners,"  suggested 
Joe.  "They  keep  house  for  themselves;  and  their 
flapjacks  are  turned, —  as  big  as  Granny's  griddle  here." 

"One  cake?" 

"  Yes.     That's  where  the  art  comes  in." 

"  They  must  take  a  shovel,"  said  Charlie. 

"  No,  nor  a  knife,  nor  any  thing." 

With  that  Joe  shook  his  head  mysteriously. 

"  With  their  fingers,"  announced  Kit  triumphantly. 

"  My  mother  used  to  bake  them  in  a  frying-pan,'* 
said  Granny.  "  Then  she'd  twirl  it  round  and  round, 
and  suddenly  throw  the  cake  over." 

"  There ! " 

Kit  gave  a  nod  as  much  as  to  say,  "  Beat  that  if  you 
«an." 

"  That  isn't  a  circumstance,"  was  Joe's  solemn  com- 
ment. 

"  But  how  then  ?"  asked  Charlie,  who  was  wound 
up  to  a  pitch  of  curiosity. 


72  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Why,  they  bake  them  in  a  pan  too,  and  twirl  it 
round  and  round,  and  then  throw  it  up  and  run  out  of 
doors.  The  cake  goes  up  chimney,  and  comes  down  on 
the  raw  side,  all  right,  you  see,  and  drops  into  the  pan 
before  you  can  count  six  black  beans." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  believe  it!  "  declared  Charlie.  "Do 
you,  Granny?" 

"  They'd  have  to  be  pretty  quick,"  was  the  response. 

"  You  see,  a  woman  never  could  do  it,  Charlie,"  Joe 
continued  in  a  tormenting  manner. 

"But,  Charlie,  a  miner's  cabin  is  not  very  high; 
and  the  chimney  is  just  a  great  hole  in  the  roof,"  ex- 
plained Hal. 

"  'Tory,  'tory,"  said  Dot,  who  was  not  interested  in 
the  culinary  art. 

"  0  Dotty !  you'll  have  a  piece  worn  off  the  end  of 
my  tongue,  some  day.  It's  high  time  you  were  storing 
your  mind  with  useful  facts  ;  so,  if  you  please,  we  will 
have  a  little  English  history." 

"  What  nonsense,  Joe  !  As  if  she  could  understand ; " 
and  Florence  looked  up  from  her  pretty  worsted  cro- 
cheting. 

"  To  be  sure  she  can.  Dot  comes  of  a  smart  family. 
Now,  Midget ; "  and  with  that  he  perched  her  up  on  his 
knee. 

Charlie  and  Kit  began  to  listen. 

" '  When  good  King  Arthur  ruled  the  land, 
He  was  a  goodly  king: 


GOOD  LUCK  FOE  JOE.  73 

He  stole  three  pecks  of  barley-meal 
To  make  a  bag  podding.'" 

"I  don't  believe  it,"  burst  out  Charlie,    "I  was 
reading  about  King  Arthur  " — 

"And  he  was  a  splendid  cook.    Hear  his  experi- 


'  A  bag  padding  the  king  did  make, 
And  staffed  it  well  with  plums; 
And  in  it  pat  great  lumps  of  fat, 
As  big  as  my  two  thumbs.' " 

Dot  thought  the  laugh  came  in  here,  and  threw  back 
her  head,  showing  her  little  white  teeth. 

"  It  really  wasn't  King  Arthur,"  persisted  Charlie. 

"  It  is  a  fact  handed  down  to  posterity.  No  wonder 
England  became  great  under  so  wise  and  economical  a 
rule ;  for  listen  — 

•The  king  and  queen  did  eat  thefeof, 

And  noblemen  beside; 
And  what  they  could  not  eat  that  night, 
The  queen  next  morning  ftfaJj*  — 

as  we  do  sometimes.    Isn't  it  wonderful?" 

"  Hnnnerful,"  ejaculated  Dot,  wide-eyed. 

"  I  hope  youTI  take  a  lesson,  and"  — 

44  Come  to  supper,"  said  Granny. 

Irrepressible  Charlie  giggled  at  the  ending. 

They  did  not  need  a  second  invitation,  but  clustered 
around  eagerly. 


74  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    NOME. 

"I'm  afraid  there  won't  be  any  left  to  fry  up  in  the 
morning,"  said  Joe  solemnly. 

After  the  youngsters  were  off  to  bed  that  evening, 
Joe  began  to  talk  about  his  good  fortune  again. 

"  And  a  dollar  and  a  half  a  week,  regularly,  is  a 
good  deal,"  he  said.  "  Why,  I  can  get  a  spick  and  span 
new  suit  of  clothes  for  twelve  dollars,  —  two  months, 
that  would  be  ;  and  made  at  a  tailor's  too." 

"  The  two  months?"  asked  Florence. 

"  Oh  !  you  know  what  I  mean." 

"  You  will  get  into  worse  habits  than  ever,"  she  said 
with  a  wise  elder-sister  air. 

"  I  don't  ever  expect  to  be  a  grand  gentleman." 

"  But  you  might  be  a  little  careful." 

"  Flo  acts  as  if  she  thought  we  were  to  have  a  great 
fortune  left  us  by  and  by,  and  wouldn't  be  polished 
enough  to  live  in  state." 

"  The  only  fortune  we  shall  ever  have  will  come  from 
five-finger  land,"  laughed  Hal  good-naturedly. 

"  And  I'm  going  to  make  a  beginning.  I  do  think 
it  was  a  streak  of  luck.  I  am  old  enough  to  do  some- 
thing for  myself." 

•l  I  wish  I  could  find  such  a  chance,"  said  Hal,  with 
a  soft  sigh. 

"  Your  turn  will  come  presently,"  Granny  answered, 
smiling  tenderly. 

Joe  went  on  with  his  air-castles.  The  sum  of  money 
looked  so  large  in  his  eyes.  He  bought  out  half  of  Mr. 


GOOD  LUCK  FOB  JOE.  75 

Terry's  store,  and  they  were  to  live  like  princes,  —  &U 
on  a  dollar  and  a  half  a  week. 

Granny  smiled,  and  felt  proud  enough  of  him.  If  he 
would  only  keep  to  business,  and  not  go  off  to  sea. 

So  on  Friday  Joe  piled  up  his  books,  and  turned  a 
somerset  over  them,  and  took  a  farewell  race  with 
the  boys.  They  were  all  sorry  enough  to  lose  him. 
Mr.  Fielder  wished  him  good  luck. 

"  You  will  find  that  work  is  not  play,"  he  said  by 
way  of  caution. 

Early  Monday  morning  Joe  presented  himself  bright 
as  a  new  button.  He  had  insisted  upon  wearing  his 
best  suit,  —  didn't  he  mean  to  have  another  soon?  for 
the  school  clothes  were  all  patches.  He  had  given  his 
hair  a  Sunday  combing,  which  meant  that  he  used  a 
comb  instead  of  his  fingers.  Mr.  Terry  was  much 
pleased  with  his  promptness. 

A  regular  country  store,  with  groceries  on  one  side 
and  dry  goods  on  the  other,  a  little  sashed  cubby  for  a 
post-office,  and  a  corner  for  garden  and  farm  imple- 
ments. There  was  no  liquor  kept  on  the  premises ;  for 
the  mild  ginger  and  root  beer  sold  in  summer  could 
hardly  be  placed  in  that  category. 

Joe  was  pretty  quick,  and  by  noon  had  mastered 
many  of  the  intricacies.  Old  Mr.  Terry  was  in  the 
store  part  of  the  time,  —  "  father  "  as  everybody  called 
him.  He  was  growing  rather  childish  and  careless,  &o 
his  son  instructed  Joe  to  keep  a  little  watch  over  hue. 


76  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Then  he  showed  him  how  to  harness  the  horse,  and 
drove  off  with  some  bulky  groceries  that  he  was  to 
take  home. 

"  All  things  work  together  for  good,  sonny,"  said 
Father  Terry  with  a  sleepy  nod,  as  he  sat  down  by  the 
stove. 

"What  things?" 

"  All  things,"  with  a  sagacious  shake  of  the  head. 

This  was  Father  Terry's  favorite  quotation,  and  he 
used  it  in  season  and  out  of  season. 

The  door  opened,  and  Mrs.  Van  Wyck  entered.  She 
gave  Joe  a  sharp  look. 

"  So  you're  here?"  with  a  kind  of  indignant  sniff. 

' « Yes.     What  wiU  you  have  ? " 

There  was  a  twinkle  in  Joe's  eye,  and  an  odd  little 
pucker  to  his  lips,  as  if  he  were  remembering  some- 
thing. 

"  You  needn't  be  so  impudent." 

"I?"  and  Joe  flushed  in  surprise. 

"  Yes.     You're  a  saucy  lot,  the  whole  of  you." 

With  that  Mrs.  Van  Wyck  began  to  saunter  round. 

"  What's  the  price  of  these  cranberries?  " 

"  Eighteen  cents,"  in  his  most  respectful  tone. 

"  They're  dear,  dreadful  dear.  Over  to  Windsor 
you  can  get  as  many  as  you  can  carry  for  a  shilliu'  a 
quart." 

Joe  was  silent. 

"  Say  sixteen." 


GOOD  LUCK  FOB  JOE.  77 

"I  couldn't,"  replied  Joe.  "If  Mr.  Terry  were 
here"  — 

•"There's  Father  Terry."  She  raised  her  TOICC  a 
little.  "  Father  Terry,  come  and  look  at  these  cran- 
berries. They're  a  poor  lot,  and  you'll  do  well  to  get  a 
yhiTlin*  a  opart." 

Joe  ran  his  fingers  through  them.  Plump  and 
crimson,  very  nice  he  thought  for  so  late  in  the  season. 

"  I  don't  s'pose  Fd  get  more'n  two  good  quarts  out 
of  three.  They'll  spile  on  your  hands.  Come  now, 
be  reasonable." 

Father  Terry  looked  undecided.  Joe  watched  him, 
thinking  in  his  heart  that  he  ought  not  fall  a  penny. 

"  Say  a  shiffin'." 

The  old  man  shook  his  head. 

'•Well,  fifteen  cents.  I  want  three  quarts,  and 
I  won't  give  a  penny  more." 

The  old  gentleman  studied  Joe's  face,  which  was  full 


"  Well,"  he  said  with  some  reluctance. 

Joe  measured  them.  Mrs.  Van  Wyck  gave  each 
quart  a  "  settle"  by  shaking  it  pretty  hard,  and  Joe 
hid  to  put  in  another  large  handful. 

"  Now  I  want  some  cheese." 

The  pound  weighed  two  ounces  over. 

"  You  can  throw  that  in.     Mr.  Terry  always  does." 

"How  much?" 

"  Twenty-three  cents." 

T» 


78  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  No :  you  can't  fool  me,  youngster.  I  never  pay 
more  than  twent}'  cents." 

"  I'm  sure  Mr.  Terry  told  me  that  it  was  twenty- 
three." 

Father  was  appealed  to  again,  and  of  course  went 
over  to  the  domineering  enemy. 

Then  two  pounds  of  butter  passed  through  the  same 
process  of  cheapening.  Joe  began  to  lose  his  temper. 
Afterward  a  broom,  some  tape  and  cotton,  and  finally 
a  calico  dress. 

"  Now,  here's  three  dozen  eggs  for  part  pay. 
They're  twenty- four  cents  a  dozen." 

"  Why,  that's  what  we  sell  them  for,"  said  aston- 
ished Joe,  mentally  calculating  profit  and  loss. 

"Oh!  they've  gone  up.  Hetty  Collins  was  paid 
twenty-five  over  to  Windsor.  I'd  gone  there  myself  if 
I'd  had  a  little  more  time." 

"  I  wish  you  had,"  ejaculated  Joe  inwardly. 

She  haggled  until  she  got  her  price,  and  the  settle- 
ment was  made. 

"  She's  a  regular  old  screwer,"  said  Joe  rather 
crossly.  "  I  don't  believe  it  was  right  to  let  her  have 
those  things  in  that  fashion." 

"  All  things  work  together  for  good." 

"  For  her  good,  it  seems." 

Father  Terry  went  back  to  his  post  by  the  stove. 
Joe  breathed  a  little  thanksgiving  that  Flossy  was  not 
Mrs.  Van  Wyck's  maid-of-all-work. 


GOOD  LUCK  FOR  JOE.  79 

Joe's  next  customer  was  Dave  Downs,  as  the  boys 
called  him.  He  shuffled  up  to  the  counter. 

"  Got  any  red  good  cheese  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Joe  briskly. 

"  Lef  s  see." 

Joe  raised  the  cover.  Dave  took  up  the  knife,  and 
helped  himself  to  a  bountiful  slice. 

"  Got  any  crackers? " 

"  Yes,"  wondering  what  Dave  meant. 

"Nice  and  fresh?" 

"  I  guess  so." 

"  m  take  three  or  four." 

"  That  will  be  a  penny's  worth." 

When  Dave  had  the  crackers  in  his  hand  he  said, 
raising  his  shaggy  brows  in  a  careless  manner,  — 

**  Oh !  you  needn't  be  so  perticelar." 

Then  he  took  a  seat  beside  Father  Terry,  and 
munched  crackers  and  cheese.  "Cool  enough," 
thought  Joe. 

Old  Mrs.  Skittles  came  next.  She  was  very  deaf, 
and  talked  in  a  high,  shrill  key,  as  if  she  thought  all 
the  world  in  the  same  affliction. 

She  looked  at  every  thing,  priced  it,  beat  down  a 
cent  or  two,  and  then  concluded  she'd  rather  wali 
until  Mr.  Terry  came  in.  At  last  she  purchased  a 
penny's  worth  of  snuff,  and  begged  Joe  to  give  her 
good  measure. 

After  that  two  customers  and  the  mail.      Father 


80  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Terry  bestirred  himself,  and  waited  upon  a  little  gir] 
with  a  jug. 

Joe  was  rather  glad  to  see  Mr.  Terry  enter,  for  he 
had  an  uncomfortable  sense  of  responsibility. 

"  Trade  been  pretty  good,  Joe? "  with  a  smile. 

"  I've  put  it  all  down  on  the  slate,  as  you  told  me." 

"Hillo!    What's  this!" 

A  slow  stream  of  something  dark  was  running  ovei 
the  floor  back  of  the  lower  counter. 

"  Oh,  molasses ! "  and  with  a  spring  Joe  shut  off 
the  current,  but  there  was  an  ominous  pool. 

"I  did  not  get  that:  it  was"  —  and  Joe  turned 
crimson. 

'•'Father.  We  never  let  him  go  for  molasses,  vin- 
egar, oil,  or  burning  fluid.  He  is  sure  to  deluge  us. 
Run  round  in  the  kitchen,  and  get  a  pail  and  a  mop." 

"  It's  my  opinion  that  this  doesn't  work  together  for 
good,"  said  Joe  to  himself  as  he  was  cleaning  up  the 


"  So  you  had  Mrs.  Skittles?  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Terry 
with  a  laugh.  "  And  Mrs.  Van  Wyck.  Why,  Joe ! " 

"She  beat  down  awfully!"  said  Joe;  "and  she 
wanted  every  thing  thrown  in.  Mr.  Terry  "  — 

"  She  called  on  father,  I'll  be  bound.  But  she  has 
taken  off  all  the  profits ;  and  then  to  make  you  pay 
twenty-four  cents  for  the  eggs." 

"  I'd  just  like  to  have  had  my  own  way.  If  you'!1 
giv  oae  leave  "  — 


GOOD  LUCK  FOR  JOE.  81 

"  You  win  have  to  look  out  a  little  for  father.  He's 
getting  old,  you  know ;  and  these  sharp  customers  are 
rather  too  much  for  him." 

"  Til  never  fall  a  penny  again ;"  and  Joe  shook  his 
head  defiantly. 

"  Too  will  learn  by  degrees.  But  it  is  never  neces- 
sary to  indulge  such  people.  There's  the  dinner-bell." 

Dave  Downs  had  finished  his  crackers  and  cheese, 
and  now  settled  himself  to  a  comfortable  nap.  Joe 
busied  himself  by  clearing  up  a  little,  giving  out  mail, 
and  once  weighing  some  flour.  Then  he  discovered 
that  he  had  scattered  it  over  his  trousers,  and  that  with 
the  molasses  dabs  it  made  a  not  very  delightful  mix- 
ture. So  he  took  a  seat  on  a  barrel-head  and  began  to 
scrub  it  off;  but  he  found  it  something  like  Aunt  Je- 
^iiima's  plaster. 

"  Run  in  and  get  some  dinner,  Joe,"  said  Mr.  Terry 
after  his  return  to  the  store. 

"  But  I  was  going  home,"  replied  Joe  bashfully. 

"  Oh !  never  mind.    We  will  throw  in  the  dinner." 

So  Joe  ran  around,  but  hesitated  at  the  door  of  Mrs. 
Terry's  clean  kitchen.  She  was  motherly  and  cordial, 
however,  and  gave  him  a  bright  smile. 

"  I  told  Mr.  Terry  that  you  might  as  well  come  in 
here  fzr  your  dinner.  It  is  quite  a  long  run  home." 

"  You  are  very  kind,"  stammered  Joe,  feeling  that 
he  must  say  something,  in  spite  of  his  usual  readiness 
of  speech  desertu^  him. 


82  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"You  ought  to  have  an  apron,  Joe,  or  a  pair  of 
overalls,"  she  said  kindly.  "You  will  find  grocery 
business  rather  dirty  work  sometimes." 

"  And  my  best  clothes  ! "    thought  Joe  with  a  sigh. 

But  the  coffee  was  so  delightful,  and  the  cold  roast 
beef  tender  as  a  chicken.  And  Joe  began  to  think  it 
was  possible  for  a  few  things  to  work  together  for 
good,  if  they  were  only  the  right  kind  of  things. 

Altogether  he  went  home  at  night  in  very  good  spir- 
its. 

But  my  trousers  will  have  to  go  in  the  wash-tub, 
Granny,"  he  exclaimed.  "I  believe  I  wasn't  cut  out 
for  a  gentleman,  after  all." 

"  O  Joe,  what  a  sight !     How  could  you  ?" 

"  It  was  all  easy  enough.  If  you'd  had  molasses  to 
scrub  up,  and  flour  to  get  before  it  was  dry,  you 
would  have  found  the  sticking  process  not  at  all  difficult: 
And  oh !  Mrs.  Van  "Wyck  came  in." 

Florence  flushed  a  little  at  this. 

"  Yes,  wait  till  I  show  you."  With  that,  Joe  sprang 
up,  and  wrapped  Granny's  old  shawl  about  him,  and 
began  in  his  most  comical  fashion.  In  a  moment  or 
two  the  children  were  in  roars  of  laughter. 

"  I  don't  know  as  it  is  quite  right,  Joe  dear,"  inter 
posed  Granny  mildly,  "  to  make  fun  of  any  one." 

"  My  conscience  don't  trouble  me  a  bit;"  for  now 
he  was  in  a  high  glee.  "  I  owe  her  a  grudge  for  mak- 
ing me  pay  twenty-four  cents  for  eggs.  And,  Granny, 


GOOD  LUCK  FOR  JOM. 

when  you  come  to  the  store,  don't  beat  me  down  a 
penny  on  any  thing ;  nor  ask  me  to  throw  in  a  spool  of 
'cotton  nor  a  piece  of  tape,  nor  squeeze  down  the 
measure.  I  wonder  how  people  can  be  so  mean ! " 

"  Rich  people  too,"  added  Florence  in  an  injured 
tone  of  voice,  still  thinking  of  Mrs.  Van  Wyck/s  over- 
ture. 

"  There's  lots  of  funny  folks  in  the  world,"  said  Joe 
with  a  grave  air.  "  But  I  like  Mr.  Terry,  and  I  mean 
to  do  my  very  best." 

"  Thaf  s  right ; "  and  Granny  smiled  tenderly  over 
the  boy's  resolve. 

"  And  Til  put  on  my  old  clothes  to-morrow.  Who 
knows  but  I  may  fall  into  the  mackerel-barrel  before 
to-morrow  night?" 

Kit  laughed  at  this.  "  They'll  have  to  fish  you  out 
with  a  harpoon,  then." 

"  Oh !  I  might  swim  ashore." 

The  next  day  Joe  improved  rapidly.  To  be  sure,  he 
met  with  a  mishap  or  two ;  but  Mr.  Terry  excused  him, 
and  only  charged  him  to  be  more  careful  in  future. 
And  Father  Terry  administered  his  unfailing  consola- 
tion on  every  occasion. 

But  on  Saturday  night  Joe  came  home  in  triumph. 

"  There's  the  beginning  of  my  fortune,"  he  said,  dis- 
playing his  dollar  and  a  half  all  in  hard  cash.  For 
that  was  a  long  while  ago,  when  the  eagle,  emblem  of 
freedom,  used  to  perch  on  silver  half-dollars. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FORTUNES   AND    MISFORTUNES. 

"  T  THINK  I'll  go  into  business,"  said  Hal  one  even- 

"*-  ing,  as  he  and  Granny  and  Florence  sat  together. 

They  missed  Joe  so  much !  He  seldom  came  home 
until  eight  o'clock  ;  and  there  was  no  one  to  stir  up  the 
children,  and  keep  the  house  in  a  racket. 

"  What?  "  asked  Granny. 

"  I  am  trying  to  decide.  I  wonder  how  chickens 
would  do?" 

"  It  takes  a  good  deal  to  feed  'em,"  said  Granny. 

"  But  they  could  run  about,  you  know.  And  buck- 
wheat is  such  a  splendid  thing  for  them.  Then  we  can 
raise  ever  so  much  corn." 

"  But  where  would  you  get  your  buckwheat?"  asked 
Florence. 

"  I  was  thinking.  Mr.  Peters  never  does  any  thing 
with  his  lot  down  here,  and  the  old  apple-trees  in  it 
are  not  worth  much.  If  he'd  let  me  have  it  ploughed 
up !  And  then  we'd  plant  all  of  our  ground  in  corn, 
except  the  little  garden  that  we  want." 

"  What  a  master  hand  you  are  to  plan,  Hal  1 " 

84 


FORTUNES  AND  MISFORTUNES.  85 

Granny's  face  was  one  immense  beam  of  admiration. 

**  I  want  to  do  something.  Ifs  too  hard,  Granny, 
that  you  should  have  to  go  out  washing,  and  all  that." 

Hal's  soft  brown  eyes  were  full  of  tender  pity. 

"Oh!  I  don't  mind.  I'm  good  for  a  many  day's 
work  yet,  Hal." 

**  I  hope  some  of  us  will  get  rich  at  last," 

Florence  sighed  softly. 

"  I  thought  you  were  going  to  have  a  green-house/ 
she  said. 

"  Tm  afraid  I  can't  manage  the  green-house  now, 
though  I  mean  to  try  some  day.  And  I  noticed 
old  Speckly  clucking  this  morning." 

"  But  we  haven't  any  eggs,"  said  Granny. 

"  I  could  get  some." 

"How  many  chickens  would  you  raise?"  asked 
Florence. 

"  Well,  if  we  should  set  the  five  hens,  —  out  of  say 
sixty-four  eggs  we  ought  to  raise  fifty  chickens ; 
oughtn't  we,  Granny?  " 

"  With  good  luck ;  but  so  many  things  happen  to 
'em." 

*«  And  if  I  could  clear  thirty  dollars.  Then  there's 
quite  a  good  deal  of  work  to  do  in  the  summer." 

•*  I  shall  soon  be  a  fine  lady,  and  ride  in  my  car- 
riage," Granny  commented  with  a  cheerful  chirrup  of  a 
laugh. 

"Mrs.  Kinsey's  chickens  are  splendid,"  said  Flor- 


86  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

**  Yes.     Shall  I  get  some  eggs,  and  set  Speckly?" 

"  It's  rather  airly  to  begin." 

4 'But  I'll  make  a  nice  coop.  And  eggs  are  not 
twenty-four  cents  a  dozen." 

Hal  finished  off  with  a  quiet  smile  at  the  thought  of 
Mrs.  Van  Wyck. 

So  he  went  to  Mrs.  Kinsey's  the  next  morning,  and 
asked  her  for  a  dozen  of  eggs,  promising  to  come  over 
the  first  Saturday  there  was  any  thing  to  do,  and  work 
it  out. 

"  I'll  give  you  the  eggs,"  she  said ;  "  but  we  will  be 
glad  to  have  you  some  Saturday,  all  the  same." 

So  old  Speckly  was  allowed  to  indulge  her  motherly 
inclinations  to  her  great  satisfaction.  Hal  watched 
her  with  the  utmost  solicitude.  In  the  course  of  time 
a  tiny  bill  pecked  against  white  prison  walls ;  and 
one  morning  Hal  found  the  cunningest  ball  of  soft, 
yellow  down,  trying  to  balance  itself  on  two  slender 
legs,  but  finding  that  the  point  of  gravity  as  often  cen- 
tred in  its  head.  But  the  little  fellow  winked  oddly, 
as  much  as  to  say,  "  I  know  what  I'm  about.  I'll 
soon  find  whether  it  is  the  fashion  to  stand  on  yocr 
head  or  your  feet  in  this  queer  world." 

One  by  one  the  rest  came  out.  Hal  had  a  nice  coop 
prepared,  and  set  Mrs.  Speckty  up  at  housekeeping. 
Dot  caught  one  little  "  birdie,"  as  she  called  it,  and,  in 
running  to  show  Granny,  fell  down.  And  although 
Dot  wasn't  very  heavy,  it  was  an  avalanche  on  pool 


FORTUNES  AND  MISFORTUNES.  87 

"birdie."  He  gave  two  or  three  slow  kicks  with  his 
yellow  legs,  and  then  was  stiff  for  all  time. 

"  Hal's  boofer  birdie,"  said  Dot.     "  See,  Danny ! " 

"  O  Dot !  what  have  you  done? " 

"  Him  'oont  'alk ; "  and  Dot  stood  him  down  on  the 
door-step,  only  to  see  him  tumble  over. 

"  Oh,  you've  killed  Hal's  birdie !   What  will  he  s»v  ?  » 

"  I  'ell  down.     Why  'oont  him  run,  Danny? " 

What  could  Granny  do  ?  Scolding  Dot  was  out  of 
the  question.  And  just  then  Hal  came  flying  up  the 
road. 

Granny  had  seen  the  fall,  and  explained  the  matter. 

"But  she  mustn't  catch  them!  You're  a  naughtj 
little  Dot ! " 

Dot  began  to  cry. 

"  Poor  little  girl !  "  said  Hal,  taking  her  in  his  arms. 
«*  It  is  wrong  to  catch  them.  See,  now,  the  little  fel- 
low is  dead,  and  can  never  run  about  any  more.  Isn't 
Dot  sorry  ?  She  won't  ever  touch  Hal's  birdies  again, 
will  she?" 

So  Dot  promised,  and  Hal  kissed  her.  But  she  car- 
ried the  dead  birdie  about,  petting  it  with  softest 
touches,  and  insisting  upon  taking  it  to  bed  with  her. 

One  more  of  the  brood  met  with  a  mishap,  but  the 
other  ten  throve  and  grew  rapidly.  By  the  time  the 
next  hen  wanted  to  set,  Hal  had  a  dozen  eggs  saved. 

He  asked  Farmer  Peters  about  the  lot.  It  was  just 
below  their  house,  between  that  and  the  creek,  —  t  stri> 


88  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

of  an  acre  and  a  half  perhaps.  The  old  trees  were 
not  worth  much,  to  be  sure ;  and  Mr.  Peters  never 
troubled  himself  to  cultivate  the  plot,  as  it  was  account- 
ed very  poor. 

"  Yes,  you  may  have  it  in  welcome ;  but  you  won't 
git  enough  off  of  it  to  pay  for  the  ploughin '  ?  " 

"I'm  going  to  raise  chickens;  and  I  thought  it 
would  be  nice  to  sow  buckwheat,  and  let  them  run  in 
it." 

"  Turnin'  fanner,  hey?  Tears  to  me  you're  makin' 
an  airly  beginnin'." 

Hal  smiled  pleasantly. 

"  You'll  find  chickens  an  awful  sight  o'  bother." 

"  I  thought  I'd  try  them." 

"  Goin'  to  garden  any  ?  " 

"  A  little." 

"Hens  and  gardens  are  about  like  fox  an'  geese. 
One's  death  on  the  other.  But  you  kin  have  the  lot." 

So  Hal  asked  Abel  Kinsey  to  come  over  and  plough. 
In  return  he  helped  plant  potatoes  and  drop  corn  for 
two  Saturdays.  By  this  time  there  was  a  third  hen 
Betting. 

House-cleaning  had  come  on,  and  Granny  was  pretty 
busy.  But  she  and  Hal  were  up  early  in  the  morning 
garden-making.  The  plot  belonging  to  the  cottage 
was  about  two  acres.  Hal  removed  his  chicken-coops 
to  the  lot,  and  covered  his  young  vegetables  with  brush 
to  protect  them  from  incursions, — pease,  beans,  let 


FORTUNES  AND  MISFORTUNES.  89 

tuce,  beets,  and  sweet-corn ;  and  the  rest  was  given 
over  to  the  chickens. 

"  I  am  going  to  keep  an  account  of  aU  that  is  spent 
for  them,"  he  said ;  "  and  we  will  see  if  we  can  make  it 
pay." 

When  Joe  had  saved  three  dollars,  he  teased  Granny 
to  let  him  order  his  clothes. 

"  I  don't  like  running  in  debt,  Joe,"  she  said  with  a 
gra7e  shake  of  the  head. 

"  Bat  this  is  very  sure.  Mr.  Terry  likes  me,  and  I 
shall  go  on  staying.  There  will  be  four  dollars  and  a 
half  to  pay  down  by  the  time  they  are  done,  and  in  five 
weeks  I  can  earn  the  rest." 

"  How  nice  it  seems !  "•  said  HaL  "  You  and  Flo 
earn  a  deal  of  money." 

Flo  gave  a  small  sniff.  She  wanted  some  new 
clothes  also.  And  Kit  and  Charlie  were  going  to 
shreds  and  patches.  Charlie,  indeed,  was  shooting  op 
like  Jack's  bean-stalk,  Joe  declared,  being  nearly  as  tall 
as  Hal.  She  was  wild  as  a  colt,  climbed  trees,  jumped 
fences,  and  wouldn't  be  dared  by  any  of  the  boys. 

**  I'm  sure  I  don't  know  what  you'll  come  to,"  Granny 
would  say  with  a  sigh. 

Joe  carried  his  point,  and  ordered  his  clothes ;  for  he 
insisted  that  he  could  not  think  of  going  to  Sunday 
school  until  he  had  them.  It  was  quite  an  era  in  his 
life  to  have  real  store  clothes.  He  felt  very  grand  one 
day  when  he  went  to  Mr.  Briggs  the  tailor,  and  selected 

8* 


90  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

the  cloth.  There  were  several  different  patterns  and 
colors  ;  but  he  had  made  up  his  mind  that  it  should  be 
gray,  just  like  Archie  Palmer's. 

He  was  so  dreadfully  afraid  of  being  disappointed, 
that  he  dropped  in  on  Friday  to  see  if  they  were  pro- 
gressing. There  was  the  jacket  in  the  highest  state 
of  perfection. 

"  But  the  pants?"  he  questioned. 

"  Never  you  mind.  Them  pants'll  be  done  as  sure 
as  my  name's  Peter  Briggs." 

"  All  right,"  said  Joe  ;  and  he  ran  on  his  way  whist- 
ling. 

"Kit,"  he  announced  that  evening,  "I've  just 
found  out  a  good  business  for  you." 

"  What?"  and  Kit  roused  himself. 

*'  You  shall  be  a  tailor.  I  was  thinking  to-day  how 
you  would  look  on  the  board,  with  your  scalp-lock  nod- 
ding to  every  stitch." 

"  I  won't,"  said  Kit  stoutly ;  and  he  gave  a  kick  to- 
wards Joe's  leg. 

"  It's  a  good  business.  You  will  always  have  plenty 
of  cabbage." 

"  You  better  stop !  "  declared  Kit. 

"  It  will  be  handy  to  have  him  in  the  house,  Granny. 
He  can  do  the  ironing  ~by  odd  spells.  And  on  the  sub- 
ject of  mending  old  clothes  he  will  be  lovely." 

With  that  Kit  made  another  dive. 

Granny  gave  a  sudden  spring,  and  rescued  the  earthen 


FORTUNES  AND  MISFORTUNES.  91 

jar  that  held  the  cakes  she  had  just  mixed  and  set 
upon  the  store-hearth. 

"O  Kit!    Those  precious  pancakes !    We  are  not 
anxious  to  have  them  flavored  with  extract  of  old 


"  Nor  to  go  wandering  over  the  floor." 

Kit  looked  sober  and  bat  half-awake. 

"Never  mind,"  said  Granny  cheerily.  "You 
mustn't  tease  him  so  much,  Joe." 

"Why,  I  was  only  setting  before  him  the  peculiar 
advantages  of  this  romantic  and  delightful  employ- 
ment;"  and  with  that,  Joe  executed  a  superior  doable- 
shuffle  quickstep,  accompanied  by  slapping  a  tone  on 
his  knee. 

"  You'd  do  for  a  minstrel,"  said  Kit. 

Joe  cleared  his  voice  with  a  flourish,   and  sang 

xrt,— 

"Td  be  a  tailor, 

Jolly  and  free, 
With  plenty  of  cabbage, 

And  a  goose  on  my  knee. 
Monday  would  be  blue, 

Tuesday  would  be  shady, 
Wednesday  Pd  Ht  out 

To  find  a  pretty  lady." 

"Much  work  you  would  do  in  that  ease,"  corn- 
Florence. 

"Ifs  time  to  go  to  bed,  children,"  said  Granny. 
"  Yes,"  Joe  went  on  gravely.    "  For  a  rising  young 


92  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

man,  who  must  take  time  by  the  fore-lock,  or  scalp- 
lock,  and  who  longs  to  distinguish  himself  by  some 
great  and  wonderful  discovery,  there's  nothing  like,  — 

*  Early  to  bed,  and  early  to  rise, 
To  make  a  man  healthy,  wealthy,  and  wise.'  " 

With  that  Joe  was  up  stairs  with  a  bound. 

"  Joe ! "  Charlie  called  in  great  earnest. 

"Well?" 

"  You  better  take  a  mouthful  of  Granny's  rising 
before  you  go." 

"  Good  for  you,  Charlie ;  but  smart  children  always 
die  young.  Granny,  won't  you  put  a  stone  on  Char- 
lie's head  for  fear  ?  " 

Hal  said  his  good-night  in  a  tenderer  manner. 

They  were  all  wonderfully  interested  in  Joe's  clothes  ; 
and,  though  it  was  always  later  on  Saturday  night  when 
he  reached  home,  they  begged  to  sit  up,  but  Kit  took  a 
nap  by  the  chimney-corner  with  Tabby.  Granny  sat 
nodding  when  they  heard  the  gay  whistle  without. 

"Hurrah!  The  country's  safe!"  exclaimed  Joe. 
**  Get  out  your  spectacles,  all  hands." 

"  You  act  as  if  you  never  had  any  thing  before, 
Joe,"  said  Florence,  with  an  air  of  extreme  dignity. 

"But  these  are  real  'boughten'  clothes,"  said  Joe, 
"  and  gilt  buttons  down  the  jacket.  I  shall  feel  like 
a  soldier-boy.  Just  look  now." 

The  bundle  came  open  with  a  flourish  of  the  jack 


FORTUNES   AND  MISFORTUNES.  93 

knife.  All  the  heads  crowded  round,  though  the  one 
candle  gave  a  rather  dim  light. 

Such  exclamations  as  sounded  through  the  little 
room,  from  every  voice,  and  in  almost  every  key. 

"  But  where  are  the  trousers?  "  asked  Hal. 

*  *  Tlte  trousers  ?  —  why  "  — 

Granny  held  up  the  beautiful  jacket.  There  was 
nothing  else  in  the  paper. 

"  Why  —  he's  made  a  mistake.  He  never  put  them 
in,  I  am  sure." 

"You  couldn't  have  lost  'em?"  asked  Granny 
mildly. 

"  Lost  them —  and  the  bundle  tied  with  this  strong 
twine !  Now,  that's  mean !  I'll  have  to  run  right 
back." 

Off  went  Joe  like  a  flash.  He  hardly  drew  a  breath 
until  his  hand  was  on  Mr.  Brigg's  door-knob. 

"  Well,  what  now,  Joe?"  asked  the  astonished  Mr. 
Briggs. 

"  You  didn't  put  in  the  trousers ! " 

"  Didn't  ?    Dan  done  'em  up.     Dan ! " 

Dan  emerged  from  a  pile  of  rags  under  the  counter, 
where  he  was  taking  a  snooze. 

"  You  didn't  put  in  Joe's  trousers." 

"Yes  I  did." 

"  No  you  didn't,"  said  Joe,  with  more  promptness 
than  politeness. 

Dan  began  to  search.    A  sleepy-looking,  red-headed 


94  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

boy,  to  whom  Saturday  night  was  an  abomination, 
because  his  father  was  always  in  the  drag,  and  cross. 

"I'm  sure  I  put 'em  in.  Every  thing's  gone,  and 
they  ain't  here." 

''  Look  sharp,  you  young  rascal ! " 

'  He  has  lost  'em  out." 

••Lost  your  grandmother!"  said  Joe  contemptu- 
ously ;  "  or  the  liberty  pole  out  on  the  square !  Why, 
the  bundle  was  not  untied  until  after  I  was  in  the 
house." 

"  Dan,  if  you  don't  find  them  trousers,  I'll  larrup 
you ! " 

Poor  Dan.  Fairly  wide  awake  now,  he  went  tum- 
bling over  every  thing  piled  on  the  counter,  searched 
the  shelves,  and  every  available  nook. 

"  Somebody's  stole  'em." 

Dan  made  this  announcement  with  a  very  blank  face. 

"  I  know  better ! "  said  his  father. 

"You  are  sure  you  made  them,  Mr.  Briggs,"  asked 
Joe. 

"  Sure !  "  in  a  tone  that  almost  annihilated  both  boys. 

"  If  you  don't  find  'em ! "  shaking  his  fist  at  Dan. 

Dan  began  to  blubber. 

Joe  couldn't  help  laughing.  "Let  me  help  you 
look,"  he  said. 

Down  went  a  box  of  odd  buttons,  scattering  far  and 
wide. 

"  You  Dan ! "  shouted  his  father,  with  some  buttons 


FORTUNES  AND  MISFORTUNES.  95 

in  his  mouth,  that  rendered  his  voice  rather  thick. 
"  Just  wait  till  I  get  at  you.  I  have  only  six  buttons 
to  sew  on." 

"  They're  not  here,  Mr.  Briggs,"  exclaimed  Joe. 

"  Well,  I  declare !  If  that  ain't  the  strangest  thing ! 
Dan,  you've  taken  them  trousers  to  the  wrong  place ! ' 

A  new  and  overwhelming  light  burst  in  upon  Dan'* 
benighted  brain. 

"  That's  it,"  said  Joe.  "  Now,  where  have  you  taken 
them?" 

«« I  swow ! "  ejaculated  the  youth,  rubbing  his  eyes. 

"  None  o'  your  swearin'  in  this  place ! "  interrupted 
his  father  sternly.  "  I'm  a  strictly  moral  man,  and 
don't  allow  such  talk  in  my  family." 

"  Tain't  swearin',"  mumbled  Dan. 

Mr.  Briggs  jumped  briskly  down  from  the  board, 
with  a  pair  of  pantaloons  in  one  hand,  and  a  needle 
and  thread  in  the  other.  Dan  dodged  round  behind 
Joe. 

"  You  took  'em  over  to  Squire  Powell's,  Til  be 
bound ! " 

Another  light  was  thrown  in  upon  Dan's  mental 
vision. 

"There!    I'll  bet  I  did." 

"Of  course  you  did,  you  numskull!  Start  this 
minute  and  see  how  quick  you  can  be  gone." 

"  I  will  go  with  him,"  said  Joe. 

So  the  two  boys  started ;  and  a  run  of  ten  minutes 


96  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

—  a  rather  reluctant  performance  on  Dan's  part,  it  mas' 
be  confessed  —  brought  them  to  Squire  Powell's. 
There  was  no  light  in  the  kitchen ;  but  Joe  beat  a 
double  tattoo  on  the  door  in  the  most  scientific  manner 

"Who's  there?"  asked  a  voice  from  the  second 
story  window. 

"Dan  Briggs !  "  shouted  Joe. 

"  Guess  not,"  said  the  squire.  The  sound  was  so 
unlike  Dan's  sleepy,  mumbling  tone. 

"  There  was  a  mistake  made  in  some  clothes," 
began  Joe,  nothing  daunted. 

"  Oh,  that's  it !     I  will  be  down  in  a  minute." 

Pretty  soon  the  kitchen-door  was  unlocked,  and  the 
boys  stepped  inside. 

"  I  didn't  know  but  you  sent  these  over  for  one  of 
my  girls,"  said  the  squire  laughingly.  "  They  were  a 
leetle  too  small  for  me.  So  they  belong  to  you,  Joe  ? " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  Joe  emphatically,  laying  hold  o..' 
his  precious  trousers. 

"  Look  sharper  next  time,  Dan,"  was  the  squire's 
good  advice. 

"  I  wish  you'd  go  home  with  me,  Joe,"  said  Dan, 
after  they  had  taken  a  few  steps.  "  Father'll  larrup 
me,  sure ! " 

"  Maybe  that  will  brighten  your  wits,"  was  Joe's 
consoling  answer. 

"  But,  Joe —  I'm  sure  I  didn't  mean  to  —  and  "  — 

"  I'm  off  like  a  shot,"  appended  Joe,  suiting  the 


FORTUNES  AND  MISFORTUNES.  97 

action  to  the  word ;  and  poor  Dan  was  left  alone  in  the 
middle  of  the  road. 

"  Why,  what  has  happened,  Joe?"  said  Granny  as 
he  bounced  in  the  kitchen-door. 

"  Such  a  time  as  Fve  had  to  find  '  them  trousers,'  as 
Mr.  Briggs  calls  them !  Dan  had  packed  them  off  to 
Squire  Powell's ! " 

"  That  Dan  Briggs  is  too  stupid  for  any  thing," 
commented  Florence. 

"  There's  time  to  try  them  on  yet,"  Joe  exclaimed. 
"  Just  you  wait  a  bit." 

Joe  made  a  rush  into  the  other  room. 

"  Don't  wake  up  Dot,"  said  Hal. 

"  Oh !  I'll  go  as  softly  as  a  blind  mouse." 

**  There,  Granny,  what  do  you  think  of  that?" 

"  You  want  a  collar  and  a  necktie,  and  your  hair 
brushed  a  little,"  said  Florence  with  critical  eyes. 

44  But  aren't  they  stunners ! " 

Granny  looked  at  him,  turned  him  round  and  looked 
again,  and  her  wrinkled  face  was  all  one  bright  smile. 
For  he  was  so  tall  and  manly  in  this  long  jacket,  with 
its  narrow  standing  collar,  and  the  trousers  that  fitted 
to  a  charm. 

"  Oh,"  said  Hal  with  a  long  breath,  "  if  s 
aplendid ! " 

"  You  bet !  When  I  get  'em  paid  for,  Hal,  Til  help 
you  out." 

Florence  sighed. 
9 


98  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  O  Flo !  I  can't  help  being  slangy.  It  comes 
natural  to  boys.  And  then  hearing  them  all  talk  in 
the  store." 

"  Wa-a !  "  said  a  small  voice.     "  Wa-a-a  Danny ! " 

"  There !  "  exclaimed  Hal ;  and  he  ran  in  to  comforl 
Dot. 

But  Dot  insisted  upon  being  taken  up,  and  brought 
out  to  candle-light.  The  buttons  on  Joe's  jacket 
pleased  her  fancy  at  once,  and  soothed  her  sorrow. 

"I  must  say,  Dot,  you  are  a  young  woman  of  some 
taste,"  laughed  Joe. 

"  Granny,"  said  Kit,  after  sitting  in  deep  thought, 
and  taking  a  good  chew  out  of  his  thumb,  "  when  Joe 
wears  'em  out,  can  you  cut  'em  over  for  me  ?  " 

"  O  Kit !  Prudent  and  economical  youth  I  To  you 
shall  be  willed  the  last  remaining  shreds  of  my  darling 
gray  trousers,  jacket,  buttons  and  all." 

They  had  a  grand  time  admiring  Joe.  Charlie  felt 
so  sorry  that  she  wasn't  a  boy ;  and  Flo  declared  that 
"  he  looked  as  nice  as  anybody,  if  only  he  wouldn't "  — 

"  No,  I  won't,"  said  Joe  solemnly. 

Granny  felt  proud  enough  of  him  the  next  day  when 
he  went  to  church.  Florence  was  quite  satisfied  to 
walk  beside  him. 

•'  I  wish  there  was  something  nice  for  you,  Hal," 
paid  Granny  in  a  tone  of  tender  regret. 

"  My  turn  will  come  by  and  by,"  was  the  cheerful 
answer. 


FORTUNES  AND  MISFORTUNES.  99 

For  Hal  took  the  odds  and  ends  of  every  thing,  and 
was  content. 

"  They're  a  nice  lot  of  children,  if  I  do  say  it 
myself,"  was  Granny's  comment  to  Dot.  "  And  I'm 
glad  I  never  let  any  of  them  go  to  the  poor-house  or 
be  bound  out,  or  an}-  thing.  We'll  all  get  along  some- 
how." 

Dot  shook  her  head  sagely,  as  if  that  was  her  opin- 
ion also. 

The  story  of  Joe's  Saturday  night  adventure  leaked 
out ;  and  poor  Dan  Briggs  was  tormented  a  good  deal, 
the  boys  giving  him  the  nickname  of  Trousers,  much 
to  his  discomfort. 

Joe  discovered,  like  a  good  many  other  people,  that 
whereas  getting  in  debt  was  very  easy,  getting  out  of 
debt  was  very  hard.  He  went  along  bravely  for  sev- 
eral weeks,  and  then  he  began  to  find  so  many  wants. 
A  new  straw  hat  he  must  have,  for  the  weather  was 
coming  warm,  and  they  had  such  beauties  at  the  store 
for  a  dollar  ;  and  then  his  boots  grew  too  rusty,  so  a 
pair  of  shoes  were  substituted.  He  bought  Dot  a 
pretty  Shaker,  which  she  insisted  upon  calling  her 
*'  Sunny  cool  Shaker."  She  was  growing  very  cunning 
indeed,  though  her  tongue  was  exceedingly  crooked. 
Hal  la\ighed  over  her  droll  baby  words ;  and  Kit's 
endeavor  to  make  her  say  teakettle  was  always  crowned 
with  shouts  of  laughter. 

Joe   succeeded  pretty  well  at  the  store,  but  occa- 


100  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

sionally  all  things  did  not  work  together  for  good. 
His  margin  of  fun  was  so  wide  that  it  sometimes 
brought  him  into  trouble.  One  day  he  inadvertently 
sold  old  Mrs.  Cummings  some  ground  pepper,  instead 
of  allspice.  That  afternoon  the  old  lady  flew  back 
in  a  rage. 

"  I'll  never  buy  a  cent's  wuth  of  this  good-for 
nothin',  car'less  boy ! "  she  ejaculated.  "  He  does 
nothin'  but  jig  around  the  store,  and  sing  songs.  An' 
now  he's  gone  and  spiled  my  whole  batch  of  pies." 

"Spoiled  your  pies?"  said  Mr.  Terry  in  astonish- 
ment. 

"Yes,  spiled 'em !  Four  as  good  pies  as  anybody 
in  Madison  makes.  Green  apple  too ! " 

"  Why,  I  never  saw  your  pies ! "  declared  Joe. 

"I'd  like  to  make  3-011  eat  'em  all,  —  to  the  last 
smitch ! "  and  she  shook  her  fist. 

"  But  what  did  he  do?"  questioned  Mr.  Terry. 

"  That's  what  I'm  tryin'  to  tell  you.  I  run  in  this 
mornin'  and  bought  two  ounces  of  allspice ;  for  I 
hadn't  a  speck  in  the  house.  Seth's  so  fond  of  it  in 
apple-pies.  Well,  I  was  hurryin'  round ;  an'  I  lost  my 
smell  years  ago,  when  I  had  the  influenz}*,  so  I  put  in 
the  allspice ;  an'  sez  I  at  dinner,  '  Seth,  here's  the 
fust  green-apple  pies.  I  don't  believe  a  soul  in  Madi- 
son has  made  'em  j*et !  They're  nice  an'  hot.'  With 
that  he  tasted.  '  Hot ! '  sez  he,  '  hot !  I  guess  they  air, 
and  the've  somethin'  more'n  fire  in  'em  too ! '  '  What's 


FORTUNES  AND  MISFORTUNES.  101 

in  'em? '  sez  I ;  and  sez  he,  *  Jest  you  taste ! '  an'  so  I 
di  I,  an'  it  nigh  about  burnt  my  tongue  off.  '  Why,' 
sez  I,  '  it's  pepper ; '  an'  Seth  sez,  '  "Well,  if  you  ain't 
smart ! '  That  made  me  kinder  huffy  like  ;  an'  then  I 
knew  right  away  it  was  this  car'less  fellow  that's  always 
singin'  an'  dancin'  and  a  standin'  on  his  head ! " 

Mrs.  Curnmings  had  to  stop  because  she  was  out  of 
breath.  Joe  ducked  under  the  counter,  experiencing  a 
strong  tendency  to  fly  to  fragments. 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  returned  Mr.  Terry.  "  It  must 
have  been  a  mistake ; "  aud  he  tried  to  steady  the 
corners  of  his  mouth  to  a  becoming  sense  of  gravity. 

"No  mistake  at  all!  "and  she  gave  her  head  a 
violent  jerk.  "  Some  of  his  smart  tricks  he  thought 
he'd  play  on  me.  Didn't  I  see  him  a  treatin'  Dave 
Downs  to  loaf-sugar  one  day ;  an'  bime  by  he  gave 
him  a  great  lump  of  salt ! " 

Mr.  Terry  had  heard  the  story  of  the  salt,  and 
rather  enjoyed  it ;  for  Dave  was  alwa3's  hanging  round 
in  the  way. 

"  And  he  jest  did  it  a  purpose,  I  know.  As  soon  as 
ever  I  tasted  that  pepper,  I  knew  'twas  one  of  his 
tricks.  And  my  whole  batch  of  pies  spil't ! " 

"  No,"  said  Joe,  in  his  manly  fashion :  "  I  didn't  do 
it  purposely,  Mrs.  Cummings.  I  must  have  misunder- 
stood you." 

"  Pepper  an'  allspice  sound  so  much  alike ! "  she 
said  wrathfully. 


102  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Well,  we  will  give  you  a  quarter  of  allspice,"  Mr. 
Terry  returned  soothingly. 

"That  won't  make  up  for  the  apples,  an'  the  flour, 
an'  the  lard,  an'  all  my  hard  work ! " 

"  We  might  throw  in  a  few  apples." 

"If  you're  goin'  to  keep  that  boy,  you'll  ruin  your 
trade,  I  can  tell  you ! " 

Still  she  took  the  allspice  and  the  apples,  though 
they  had  plenty  at  home. 

"  You  must  be  careful,  Joe,"  said  Mr.  Terry  after- 
ward. "  It  will  not  do  to  have  the  ill-will  of  all  the 
old  ladies." 

Joe  told  the  story  at  home  with  embellishments ;  and 
Hal  enjoyed  it  wonderfully,  in  his  quiet  way. 


CHAPTER  VIL 

OLD   TOCBLEK.    ASTER   ALL. 

Five  moth- 
erly hens  clacked  to  families  of  black-eyed 
chicks ;  and,  out  of  fifty-eight  eggs,  he  only  lost  seven. 
So  there  were  fifty-one  left.  They  made  some  incur- 
sions in  his  garden,  to  be  sore;  bat  presently  every 
tiling  grew  so  large  that  it  was  oat  of  danger. 

There  was  plenty  of  work  to  do  on  Saturdays. 
Picking  cherries  and  currants  for  the  neighbors,  and 
the  nnfailimr  gardening.  It  seemed  to  Hal  that  weeds 
had  a  hundred  lives  at  least,  even  if  you  did  poll  them 
op  by  the  roots.  Sometimes  he  managed  to  get  a  little 
work  oat  of  Kit  and  Charlie,  bat  they  invariably  ended 
by  a  rough-and-tumble  frolic. 

Florence  succeeded  admirably  with  her  embroidering. 
She  managed  to  earn  some  pretty  dresses  for  herself, 
and  added  enough  to  Hal's  store  to  enable  him  to  pur- 
chase a  suit  of  clothes,  though  they  were  not  as  grand 
as  Joe's. 

Hal  and  Granny  took  a  wonderful  sight  of  comfort 
sitting  on  the  doorstep  through  the  summer  evenings, 


104  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

and  talking  over  old  times.  Grann}^  would  tell  how 
they  did  when  his  father,  her  own  dear  Joe,  was  alive, 
and  how  pretty  his  mother  had  been. 

"Flo's  a  good  deal  like  her,"  she  would  always 
say ;  "  only  Flo's  wonderful  with  her  fingers.  She  can 
do  an}7  thing  with  a  needle." 

"  Flo's  a  born  genius,"  Hal  would  reply  admiringly. 

"  But  I'm  afraid  Chaiiie'll  never  learn  to  sew." 

"  I  can  sew  better  myself,"  was  Hal's  usual  com- 
ment. 

And  it  was  true.  Hal  had  a  bedquilt  nearly  pieced, 
which  he  had  done  on  rainy  days  and  by  odd  spells.  I 
expect  you  think  he  was  something  of  a  girl-boy.  But 
then  he  was  very  sweet  and  nice. 

Florence  stood  by  the  gate  one  afternoon,  looking 
extremely  lovely  in  her  blue  and  white  gingham,  and 
her  curls  tied  back  with  a  bit  of  blue  ribbon.  Dot 
had  been  in  the  mud-pie  business ;  and,  if  it  had 
proved  profitable,  she  would  no  doubt  have  made  a 
fortune  for  the  family. 

"  Go  in  the  house  this  minute,  and  get  washed," 
commanded  Florence.  "  What  a  naughty,  dirty  child 
you  are !  " 

Then  a  carriage  passed  by  very  slowly.  A  young 
man  was  driving,  and  two  ladies  sat  on  the  back  seat. 
They  looked  as  if  they  were  going  to  halt. 

Florence's  heart  was  in  her  mouth.  She  drew  her- 
self up  in  her  most  stately  attitude. 


THE  OLD  TUMBLER,  AFTER  ALL.  105 

The  young  man  turned ;  and  the  lady  nearer  her 
beckoned. 

Florence  stepped  out  slowly.  She  thought,  with 
some  pride,  that,  if  they  wanted  a  drink,  she  had  a 
goblet  to  offer  them. 

"  My  little  girl,"  said  the  lady,  in  a  soft,  clear  voice, 
44  can  you  direct  us  to  a  blacksmith's  ?  " 

"  There  is  one  on  this  road,  rather  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  farther." 

"  Thank  you." 

The  other  lady  leaned  over,  and  studied  Florence. 
She  had  a  worn,  faded,  and  fretful  look  ;  but  some  new 
expression  lighted  up  her  sallow  face. 

"  Oh,"  she  sighed,  "  what  a  beautiful  girl !  Now,  if 
I  had  a  daughter  like  that !  I  wonder  if  she  lives  in 
that  forlorn  old  rookery?  " 

"  A  princess  in  disguise ; "  and  the  young  man 
laughed. 

"  She  was  unusually  lovely.  At  her  age  I  had  just 
guch  hair.  But  ah,  how  one  fades ! " 

The  straggling  auburn  hair,  very  thin  on  the  top, 
hardly  looked  as  if  it  had  once  been  "  like  fine  spun 
gold." 

"  The  trial  of  my  life  has  been  not  having  a  daugh- 
ter." 

Mrs.  Duncan  had  heard  this  plaint  very  often  from 
her  half-sister,  who  had  married  a  widower  nearly 
three  times  her  age.  He  had  made  a  very  liberal  pro- 


106  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

vision  for  her  during  her  life,  but  at  her  death  the 
fortune  reverted  to  his  family  again.  She  had  always 
bewailed  the  fact  of  having  no  children  ;  but  boys  were 
her  abomination.  Mrs.  Duncan's  house  was  too  noisy, 
with  its  four  rollicking  boys  ;  but  now  that  George  was 
growing  to  manhood  he  became  rather  more  endurable. 

"I  do  not  believe  the  child  could  have  belonged 
there,"  she  commenced  again. 

" Because  she  was  so  pretty?"  asked  George. 

"  She  doesn't  look  like  a  country  girl." 

"But  some  country  girls  are  very  handsome,"  said 
Mrs.  Duncan. 

"  They  do  not  possess  this  air  of  refinement  gen- 
erally. And  did  you  observe  that  she  answered  in  a 
correct  and  ladylike  manner  ?  " 

"  Aunt  Sophie  is  captivated.  A  clear  case  of  love 
at  first  sight.  Why  not  adopt  her?" 

"  It  would  be  a  charity  to  take  her  out  of  that 
hovel,  if  it  is  her  home." 

"  I  shouldn't  think  of  such  a  thing  now,  Sophie,  with 
your  poor  health,"  said  her  sister. 

There  are  some  natures  on  which  the  least  contradic- 
tion or  opposition  acts  instantly,  rousing  them  to  a 
spirit  of  defiance.  For  several  years  Mrs.  Duncan  had 
urged  her  sister  to  adopt  a  child ;  but  she  had  never 
foand  one  that  answered  her  requirements.  She  was 
not  fond  of  the  trouble  of  small  children.  Now  that 
Mrs.  Duncan  had  advised  contrary  wise,  Mrs.  Osgood 
was  seized  with  a  perverse  fit. 


THE  OLD   TUMBLER,   AFTER  ALL.  107 

"I  am  sure  I  need  a  companion,"  she  returned  with 
martyr-like  air. 

"Take  a  young  woman  then,  who  can  be  a  com- 
panion." 

"  Here  is  the  blacksmith's,"  announced  George. 
"  I  suppose  you  will  have  to  find  some  place  of 
refuge  ;  "  and  he  laughed  again  gayly. 

"  Where  can  we  go?  " 

George  held  a  short  conversation  with  the  smith. 

"  My  house  is  just  opposite,  and  the  ladies  will  b& 
welcome,"  the  latter  said.  "  It  will  take  me  about 
half  an  hour  to  repair  your  mishap." 

George  conducted  them  thither.  The  good  woman 
would  fain  have  invited  them  in ;  but  they  preferred 
sitting  on  the  vine-covered  porch.  Mrs.  Osgood  asked 
for  a  glass  of  water.  O  Florence !  if  you  had  been  there ! 

It  happened  after  a  while,  that  George  and  his 
mother  walked  down  the  garden.  Mrs.  Green  fell 
bound  to  entertain  this  stranger  cast  upon  her  care,  as 
she  considered  it. 

Mrs.  Osgood  made  some  inquiries  presently  about 
the  house  they  had  passed,  with  a  small  stream  01 
water  just  below  it. 

"  Why,  that's  Granny  Kenneth's,"  said  Mrs.  Green 

"  And  who  is  the  child,  —  almost  a  young  lady  ?  " 

"Why,  that  must  be  Florence.  Did  she  have  long 
yeller  curls?  If  she  was  my  gal  she  should  braid  'em 
up  decently.  I  wouldn't  have  'em  flyin'  about." 


108  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOML. 

"  And  who  is  Florence?" 

Mrs.  Osgood's  curiosity  must  have  been  very  great 
to  induce  her  to  listen  to  the  faulty  grammar  and 
countoy  pronunciations.  But  she  listened  to  the  story 
from  beginning  to  end,  —  Joe,  and  Joe's  wife,  and  all 
the  children,  figuring  largely  in  it. 

"And  if  Granny  Kenneth'd  had  any  sense,  she 
would  a  bundled  'em  all  off  to  the  poor-house.  One  of 
the  neighbors  here  did  want  to  take  Florence  ;  but  law ! 
what  a  time  they  made!  She's  a  peart,  stuck-up 
thing !  " 

If  Florence  had  heard  this  verdict  against  all  her 
small  industries  and  neatnesses  and  lady-like  habits, 
her  heart  would  have  been  almost  broken.  But  there 
are  a  great  many  narrow-minded  people  in  this  world, 
who  can  see  no  good  except  in  their  own  way. 

Mrs.  Osgood  made  no  comments.  Presently  the 
carriage  was  repaired,  and  the  accidental  guests  de- 
parted. They  had  a  long  ride  yet  to  take.  George 
asked  if  there  was  any  nearer  way  of  getting  to  S^a- 
bury. 

"  There's  a  narrer  road  just  below  Granny  Ken- 
neth's, —  the  little  shanty  by  the  crick.  It's  ruther 
hard  trav'lin',  but  it  cuts  off  nigh  on  ter  three  miles." 

"I  think  we  had  better  take  it,"  said  George. 
"  Even  that  will  give  us  a  five-miles  drive." 

So  they  passed  the  cottage  again.  This  time  Hal 
was  feeding  the  chickens  ;  Kit  and  Charlie  swinging 


THE  OLD   TUMBLER,  AFTER  ALL.  109 

npon  an  old  dilapidated  apple-tree ;  and  Florence  sat 
by  the  open  window,  sewing. 

"  There's  your  princess  !  "  exclaimed  George  with  a 
laugh. 

Florence  colored  a  little  at  beholding  the  party  again. 

Mrs.  Duncan  had  come  to  Seabury,  a  rather  mount- 
ainous place,  remarkable  for  its  pure  air,  for  the  sake 
of  her  3'oungest  son,  Arthur,  who  had  been  ill  with  a 
fever.  Mrs.  Osgood  took  an  odd  fancy  to  accompany 
her.  The  seven  years  of  her  widowhood  had  not  been 
happy  years,  though  she  had  a  house  like  a  palace. 
When  she  first  laid  off  mourning,  she  tried  Newport 
and  Saratoga ;  but  somehow  she  did  not  succeed  in 
making  a  belle  of  herself,  and  that  rather  mortified  her. 

Then  she  sank  into  invalidism;  which  tried  every- 
body's patience  sorely. 

Leaning  back  in  the  carriage  now,  she  thought  to 
herself,  "  Yes,  if  I  only  had  some  one  of  my  own ! 
Sister  Duncan  never  did  understand  me,  or  appreciate 
the  delicacy  of  my  constitution.  Her  nerves  have 
been  blunted  by  those  great  rude  boys.  And  that  girl 
looks  so  refined  and  graceful,  —  she  would  make  a 
pleasant  companion  I  am  sure.  But  I  should  want  to 
take  her  away  from  her  family :  I  never  could  consent 
to  any  intimacy  with  them." 

She  ventured  to  broach  her  subject  to  Mrs.  Duncan 
the  next  day.  Perhaps  Airs.  Duncan  had  grown 
rather  impatient  with  her  sister's  whims  and  fancies ; 

10 


110  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

and  she  discouraged  the  plan  on  some  very  sensible 
grounds.     Mrs.  Osgood  felt  like  a  martyr. 

Yet  the  opposition  roused  her  to  attempt  it.  One 
day,  a  week  afterward  perhaps,  she  hired  a  carriage, 
and  was  driven  over  to  Madison.  George  had  gone 
back  to  the  city,  so  there  was  no  question  of  having 
him  for  escort. 

Granny  Kenneth  was  much  surprised  at  the  appear- 
ance of  so  fine  a  lady.  She  seized  Dot,  and  scrubbed 
her  face,  her  usual  emploj'ment  upon  the  entrance  of 
any  one. 

Mrs.  Osgood  held  up  her  ruffled  skirts  as  if  afraW 
of  contamination. 

"Is  your  granddaughter  at  home?"  was  asked  in 
the  most  languid  of  voices. 

"Flo,  you  mean?  No:  she  hasn't  come  from 
school  yet.  Do  walk  in  and  wait —  that  is  —  I  mean 
—  if  you  please,"  said  Granny  a  good  deal  flustered, 
while  the  little  gray  curls  kept  bobbing  up  and  down. 
"Here's  a  clean  cheer;"  and  she  gave  one  a  whiff 
with  her  apron. 

Poor  Flossy.  She  had  tried  so  hard  to  correct 
Granny's  old-fashioned  words  and  pronunciations. 

"Thank  you.  Miss  Florence  embroiders,  I  be 
lieve." 

"  Yes,  she  works  baby-petticoats,  and  does  'em 
splendid." 

And  then  Granny  wondered  if  she,  the  fine  lady,  had 
any  work  for  Florence. 


THE  OLD  TUMBLER.  AFT  tR  ALL.  Ill 

"  How  glad  Flo'll  be,  and  vacation  coming  so  soon," 
she  thought  in  the  depth  of  her  tender  old  soul. 

"  And  she's  a  genius  at  crochetin' !  The  laces  and 
shawls  and  hoods  she's  knit  are  a  real  wonder.  They 
didn't  do  any  thing  of  the  kind  in  my  young  days." 

"  Yon  must  find  it  pretty  hard  to  get  along,"  conde- 
scended Mrs.  Osgood. 

"Yes;  but  the  Lord  allers  provides  some  way. 
Joe's  gone  in  a  store,  —  Mr.  Terry's.  He's  next  to 
Florence,"  went  on  Granny  in  sublime  disregard  of  her 
pronoun. 

Mrs.  Osgood  took  an  inventory  of  the  little  room, 
and  waited  rather  impatiently.  Then  she  asked  for  a 
glass  of  water. 

O  Granny !  how  could  yon  have  been  so  forgetful ! 
To  take  that  old,  thick,  greenish  glass  tumbler  when 
Flossy's  choice  goblet  stood  on  the  shelf  above !  And 
then  to  fill  it  in  the  pail,  and  let  the  water  dribble ! 

Granny  wondered  whether  it  would  be  polite  to  en- 
tertain her  or  not.  But  just  then  there  was  a  crash 
and  a  splash ;  and  Dot  and  the  water-pail  were  in  the 
middle  of  the  floor. 

"  Here's  a  chance ! "  exclaimed  Kit,  pausing  in  the 
doorway.  "  Give  us  a  hook  and  line,  Granny :  Dof  s 
mouth  is  just  at  an  angle  of  ten  degrees,  good  for  a 
bite." 

"  A  wail,  sure  enough ! "  said  Charlie.  "  Wring 
her  out,  and  hang  her  up  to  dry." 


112  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Oh,  dear ! "  and  Granny,  much  disconcerted,  sat 
Dot  wrong  side  up  on  a  chair,  and  the  result  was  a 
fresh  tumble. 

It  was  Hal  who  picked  her  up  tenderly,  —  poor  wet 
baby,  with  a  big  red  lump  on  her  forehead,  and  dis 
mal  cries  issuing  from  the  mouth  that  seemed  to  run 
all  round  her  head. 

"  Stay  out  there  till  I  wipe  up,"  said  Granny  to  th« 
others.  "  Then  I'll  get  Dot  a  dry  dress.  I  never  did 
see  such  an  onlucky  child  —  and  company  too.  What 
will  Flo  say  ! " 

For  Florence  came  tripping  up  the  path,  knitting 
her  delicate  brows  in  consternation. 

"  Never  you  mind.  There's  a  lady  in  the  parlor 
who's  been  waitin'.  Oh,  my !  what  did  I  do  with  that 
floor-cloth?" 

"A  lady?" 

"  Yes  :  run  right  along." 

Luckily  the  door  was  shut  between.  Florence  gave 
her  curls  a  twist  and  a  smoothing  with  her  fingers, 
took  off  her  soiled  white  apron,  pulled  her  dress  out 
here  and  there,  stepped  over  the  pools  of  water,  and 
entered. 

Mrs.  Osgood  admired  her  self-possession,  and  pitied 
the  poor  child  profoundly.  The  flush  and  partial  em- 
barrassment were  very  becoming  to  her. 

That  lady  did  not  mean  to  rush  headlong  into  her 
proposal.  She  broke  the  ground  delicately  by  inqu^r- 


THE  OLD  TUMBLER,  AFTER  ALL.  113 

teg  «bout  the  embroidering;  and  Florence  brought 
sonx;  to  show  her. 

"•  Who  taught  you?"  she  asked  in  surprise. 

"  No  one ; "  and  Florence  colored  a  little.  "  I  did 
not  do  the  first  as  neatly,  but  it  is  quite  easy  after  one 
is  fairly  started." 

"  I  really  do  not  see  how  you  find  time,  with  going 
to  school ; "  and  this  persevering  industry  did  touch 
Mrs.  Osgood's  heart. 

" 1  cannot  do  very  much,"  answered  Florence  with 
a  sigh.  "  But  it  will  soon  be  vacation." 

"  How  old  are  you?" 

"  I  shall  be  fifteen  the  last  of  this  month." 

"  "What  a  family  your  grandmother  has  on  her 
hands!" 

"  Yes.  If  my  father  had  lived,  it  would  have  been 
very  dirferent." 

A  touching  expression  overspread  Florence's  face, 
and  made  her  lovelier  than  ever  in  Mrs.  Osgood's  eyes. 

"  She  certainly  is  very  pretty,"  that  lady  thought ; 
"  and  ht/w  attractive  such  a  daughter  would  be  in  my 
house !  I  should  live  my  young  life  over  again  in  her." 

For  Mrs.  Osgood  had  found  that  the  days  for  charm- 
ing young  men  were  over,  and  prosy  middle-aged 
people  were  little  to  her  taste.  No  woman  ever  clung 
to  youth  with  a  greater  longing. 

"  What  do  you  study  at  school?  "  she  asked. 

"  Only  the  English  branches.  I  have  been  thinking 
10* 


114  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

of — of  becoming  a  teacher,"  said  Florence  hesitat- 
ingly. 

"You  would  have  a  poor  opportunity  in  this  little 
town." 

"  I  might  go  away ; "  and  Florence  sighed  again. 

"  You  have  never  studied  music,  I  suppose." 

"  No :  I  have  had  no  opportunity,"  returned  Flor- 
ence honestly  enough. 

"Do  you  sing?" 

"  Yes.  And  I  love  music  so  very,  very  much !  I 
do  mean  to  learn  by  and  by,  if  it  is  possible." 

"  I  wish  you  would  sing  something  for  me,  —  a  little 
school-song,  or  any  thing  you  are  familiar  with." 

Florence  glanced  up  in  amazement ;  and  for  a  few 
moments  was  awkwardly  silent. 

"  I  should  like  to  hear  your  voice.  It  is  very  pleas- 
ant in  talking,  and  ought  to  be  musical  in  singing." 

Florence  was  a  good  deal  flattered ;  and  then  she 
had  the  consciousness  that  she  was  one  of  the  best 
singers  in  school.  So  she  ran  over  the  songs  in  her 
own  mind,  and  selected  "  Natalie,  the  Maid  of  the 
Mill,"  which  she  was  very  familiar  with. 

She  sang  it  beautifully.  Florence  was  one  of  the 
children  who  are  always  good  in  an  emergency.  She 
was  seldom  "  flustered,"  as  Granny  expressed  it,  and 
always  seemed  to  know  how  to  make  the  best  of  her- 
self. And,  as  she  saw  the  pleasure  in  Mrs.  Osgood's 
face,  her  own  heart  beat  with  satisfaction. 


THE  OLD  TUMBLER,  AFTER  ALL.  115 

"That  is  really  charming.  A  Ittle  cultivation 
would  make  your  voice  very  fine  indeed.  What  a  pity 
that  you  should  be  buried  in  this  little  town ! " 

"  Do  you  think  —  that  I  could  —  do  any  thing  with 
it?"  asked  Florence  in  a  tremor  of  delight. 

"  I  suppose  your  grandmother  would  not  stand  in 
the  way  of  your  advancement?"  questioned  Mrs.  Os- 
good. 

44  Oh,  no !    And  then  if  I  could  do  something "  — 

Florence  felt  that  she  ought  to  add,  "for  the 
others,"  but  somehow  she  did  not.  She  wondered  if 
Mrs.  Osgood  was  a  music-teacher,  or  a  professional 
singer.  But  she  did  not  like  to  ask. 

44  There  is  my  carriage,"  said  Mrs.  Osgood,  as  a 
man  drove  slowly  round.  44 1  am  spending  a  few 
weeks  at  some  distance  from  here,  and  wished  to  have 
you  do  a  little  flannel  embroidery  for  me.  When  will 
your  vacation  commence?" 

44  In  about  ten  days,  —  the  first  of  July." 

"I  wish  to  see  you  when  we  can  have  a  longer 
interview.  I  will  come  over  again  then." 

Mrs.  Osgood  rose,  and  shook  out  her  elegant  grena- 
dine dress,  much  trimmed  and  ruffled.  On  her  wrists 
were  beautiful  bracelets,  and  her  watch-chain  glittered 
with  every  movement.  Then  she  really  smiled  very 
sweetly  upon  the  young  girl ;  and  Florence  waa 
charmed. 

Some  dim  recollection  passed  over  her  mind. 


116  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Oh !  "  she  said,  "  were  you  not  in  a  carriage  that 
stopped  here  some  days  ago.  Another  lady  and  a 
young  gentleman  "  — 

"  Yes,"  answered  Mrs.  Osgood,  pleased  at  being 
remembered.  "  And,  my  dear,  I  took  a  great  fancy  to 
you  that  day.  You  are  so  different  from  the  majority 
of  country  girls,  that  it  is  a  pity  you  should  have  no 
better  chance." 

The  longing  and  eloquent  eyes  of  Florence  said 
more  than  words. 

"  Yes.  I  will  see  you  again  ;  and  I  may,  perhaps, 
think  of  something  to  your  advantage." 

There  was  a  mode  of  egress  through  this  "best- 
room,"  though  Granny  had  brought  her  guest  in  by 
the  kitchen  way.  Florence  opened  the  door  now. 

"  What  a  lovely,  graceful  child !  "  thought  Mrs.  Os- 
good ;  and  she  scrutinized  her  from  head  to  feet. 

Florence  watched  the  carriage  out  of  sight  in  a  half- 
dream.  How  long  she  would  have  stood  in  a  brown 
study  is  uncertain ;  but  Granny  came  in  to  get  some 
dry  clothes  for  Dot. 

"  What  did  she  want  of  you?"  exclaimed  Charlie, 
all  curiosity.  "  And  what  were  you  singing  for  ?  Oh, 
my !  wasn't  she  splendid  ?  " 

"  You  sang  like  a  bird,"  said  Hal  in  wide-eyed 
wonder  as  well.  "  Did  she  ask  you?  " 

"  Of  course.  You  don't  suppose  I  would  offer  to 
sing  for  a  stranger,  —  a  lady  too?" 


THE  OLD  TUMBLER,  AFTER  ALL.  117 

"Did  she  like  it?" 

"  Yes.  She  thought  I  might  —  that  is,  if  I  had  any 
opportunity  —  oh,  I  wish  we  were  a  little  richer !  "  and 
Florence  burst  into  a  flood  of  hysterical  tears. 

"  I  wish  we  were ;  "  and  Hal  gave  her  hand  a  soft 
squeeze.  "  If  you  could  learn  to  play  on  the  melodeon 
at  church,  and  give  music-lessons  "  — 

The  vision  called  up  a  heaven  of  delight  to  poor 
Flossy. 

" But  what  did  she  want?"  asked  Granny  in  a  great 
puzzle,  putting  Dot's  foot  through  the  sleeve  of  her 
dress,  and  tying  the  neck-string  in  garter  fashion. 

"  I  do  believe  she  is  a  singer  herself.  Maybe  she 
belongs  to  a  company  who  give  concerts ;  bnt  then 
she  was  dressed  so  elegantly." 

"  They  make  lots  of  money,"  said  Kit  with  a  saga- 
cious nod  of  the  head.  "  If  s  what  Fm  going  to  be, 
only  I  shall  have  a  fiddle." 

"  And  a  scalp-lock." 

Charlie  pulled  this  ornamentation  to  its  fullest 
height,  which  was  considerable,  as  Kifs  hair  needed 
cutting. 

"  Oh !  suppose  she  was,"  said  Hal.  "  And  suppose 
she  wanted  to  take  Flossy,  and  teach  her  music,  —  why, 
if  s  like  your  plan,  you  know,  only  it  isn't  an  old  gen- 
tleman ;  and  I  don't  believe  she  has  any  little  girls,  —  I 
mean  a  little  girl  who  died.  Did  she  ask  for  a  drink, 
Granny?" 


118  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Yes;  and  then  Dot  pulled  over  the  water-pail. 
Oh,  my !  if  I  haven't  put  this  dress  on  upside  down, 
and  the  string's  in  a  hard  knot.  Whatever  shall  I  do  ? 
And.  Flossy,  I  forgot  all  about  the  gobler.  I  took  the 
first  thing  that  came  to  hand." 

"Not  that  old  tumbler  with  a  nick  in  the  edge? 
And  it  is  goblet.  I  do  wish  you'd  learn  to  call  things 
by  their  right  names ! "  exclaimed  Florence  in  vexa- 
tion. 

"  It's  the  very  same,  isn't  it?  "  began  Charlie,  "  only, 
as  Hal  said,  it  isn't  an  old  gentleman.  Oh,  suppose  it 
should  come  true !  And  if  Kit  should  have  a  fiddle 
like  black  Jake." 

"And  if  you  should  run  away,"  laughed  Hal.  "  I 
don't  believe  you  can  find  a  better  time  than  this  pres- 
ent moment.  Kit,  you  had  better  go  after  the  cows." 

Charlie  started  too,  upon  Hal's  suggestion.  Flor- 
ence gave  a  little  sniff,  and  betook  herself  to  the  next 
room. 

Oh,  dear !  How  poor  and  mean  and  tumbled  about 
their  house  always  was !  No,  not  always,  but  if  any 
one  ever  came.  Dot  chose  just  that  moment  to  be 
unfortunate ;  and  then  that  Granny  should  have  used 
that  forlorn  old  tumbler.  She  doubted  very  much  if 
the  lady  would  ever  come  again. 

So  Flossy  had  a  good  cry  from  wounded  vanity,  and 
then  felt  better.  Hal  took  Dot  out  with  him  to  feed 
the  chickens,  and  Granny  prepared  the  table. 


THE  OLD   TUMBLER,   AFTER  ALL.  119 

Still  Florence's  lady  was  the  theme  of  comment  and 
wonder  for  several  days,  although  the  child  insisted 
that  she  only  came  to  get  some  embroidering  done. 
All  further  speculations  seemed  too  wild  for  sober 
brains. 

"  But  it  is  so  odd  that  she  asked  you  to  sing,"  said 
Hal.  "  And  I  do  believe  something  will  come  of  it." 

Florence  gave  a  little  despairing  sniff. 


CHAPTER 

FLORENCE   IN   STATE. 

"TV/TRS.  OSGOOD  leaned  back  in  the  carriage,  — it 
*^-'-L  was  the  very  best  that  Seabury  afforded,  —  and, 
looking  out  on  the  pleasant  sunshine  and  waving  trees, 
considered  the  subject  before  her.  If  she  took  Flor- 
ence, she  would  have  a  governess  in  the  house,  and  go 
on  as  rapidly  as  possible  with  the  finishing  process. 
Music  should  be  the  first  thing :  the  child  did  have  a 
lovely  voice,  and  such  fair,  slender  hands  !  In  a  year 
she  would  be  quite  presentable.  How  vexed  all  the 
Osgood  nieces  would  be  !  They  were  continually  hint- 
ing at  visits,  and  would  be  delighted  at  having  Aunt 
Osgood  take  them  up.  But  somehow  she  had  a  grudge 
against  her  husband's  relatives,  because  the  property 
reverted  to  them  in  the  end. 

And  then  she  fancied  herself  riding  out  with  this 
beautiful  daughter  by  her  side,  or  stopping  at  hotels 
where  every  one  would  wonder  "who  that  lovely 
girl  could  be !  "  And  Floience  would  certainly  be 
most  grateful  for  the  change.  It  was  a  deed  of  charity 
to  rescue  the  poor  child  from  the  life  before  her,  with 
120 


FLORENCE  nr  STATE.  121 

no  better  prospect  than  that  of  a  school-teacher.  She 
certainly  had  some  ideas  and  ambitions  beyond  her 
sphere. 

School  closed  presently,  and  the  children  were  wild 
with  delight.  They  had  a  great  time  on  examination 
day,  and  Florence  acquitted  herself  finely.  Mr.  Fielder 
was  very  proud  of  her. 

"  If  you  can  go  to  school  another  year,  and  improve 
as  much,"  he  said,  "  I  can  almost  promise  you  a  very 
good  situation." 

Flossy's  dream  in  respect  to  her  elegant  lady  was 
fading,  and  she  came  back  to  humbler  prospects  quite 
thankfully. 

What  Granny  was  to  do  with  the  children  through 
vacation  she  hardly  knew. 

"  Oh,  you  needn't  worry ! "  said  Charlie  consolingly. 
"  Kit  and  me  are  going  out  in  the  woods ;  and  we'll 
build  a  stunning  log-hut,  or  make  a  cave  "  — 

"  O  Charlie,  if  you  would  be  a  little  more  careful ! 
Kit  and  I." 

"  I  can't  be  always  bothering !  Mr.  Fielder  almost 
wears  me  out,  so  you  might  let  me  liave  a  little  rest  in 

vacation. 

'  For  spelling  is  vexation, 
And  writing  is  bad: 
Geography  it  puzzles  me, 

And  grammar  makes  me  mad.'  " 

With  that  Charlie  perched  herself  on  the  gate-post, 
and  began  to  whistle. 


122  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOMR. 

**  If  Charlie  only  had  been  a  boy ! "  groaned  Florence. 

On  Monday  of  the  first  week  they  washed.  Flor« 
ence  assisted ;  but  she  hurried  to  get  herself  dressed  in 
the  afternoon,  for  fear  some  one  might  come.  And 
then  she  wondered  a  little  what  she  ought  to  do.  Em- 
broidering and  fancy  work  appeared  to  be  dull  just 
now ;  and  she  would  have  two  months  in  which  she 
might  earn  considerable  money,  if  it  only  came.  For, 
with  all  her  small  vanities  and  particular  ways,  she 
was  not  indolent. 

On  Tuesday  they  began  their  ironing  at  an  early 
hour.  There  were  Florence's  pretty  dresses  and 
aprons,  nothing  very  costly,  but  a  dainty  ruffle  here 
and  there  added  to  the  general  grace.  These  same 
ruffles  were  a  great  trouble  to  some  of  the  old  ladies  in 
Madison,  "  who  didn't  see  how  Granny  Kenneth 
could  let  Florence  waste  her  time  in  such  nonsense 
while  she  slaved  herself  to  death !  " 

Florence  had  twisted  her  hair  in  a  knot,  and  her 
dress  was  rather  the  worse  for  wear ;  but  she  worked 
away  cheerfully.  Her  pile  of  clothes  was  decreasing 
very  fast. 

Suddenly  a  sound  of  carriage- wheels  startled  her; 
and,  glancing  up,  she  uttered  a  frightened  exclamation. 

"O  Granny!  it's  the  lady  again,  and  I  look  like  a 
fright !  What  shall  I  do?  Won't  you  go  and  ask  her 
in?  and  you  look  dreadful  too!  Put  on  your  other 
sacque.  There !  I'll  run  and  tidy  up  a  bit." 


FLORENCE  IN  STATE.  123 

She  made  a  snatch  at  the  brush  and  comb,  and  hur- 
ried up  in  the  boys'  room. 

"  Oh,  dear !  How  red  I  am  in  the  face !  It's  too 
bad ;  "  and  she  felt  tempted  to  cry,  but  she  knew  that 
would  only  make  matters  worse.  So  she  let  down  her 
shining  hair,  brushed  it  out,  and  wound  it  round  her 
fingers  in  curls.  Then  Granny  came  plodding  up  stairs. 

"  I  told  her  you  were  busy,  but  that  you'd  be  ready 
in  a  few  minutes,"  she  explained. 

"  Why  didn't  you  think  to  bring  up  one  of  my  clean 
dresses?" 

"  To  be  sure !  which  one?  " 

"The  pink  calico,  I  guess.  Oh!  and  the  braided 
white  apron." 

Down  went  Granny.  Ah !  many  a  step  had  she  taken 
for  these  children,  weary  ones,  and  yet  cheerfully  done. 
Would  they  ever  think  of  it? 

Florence  was  not  long  in  making  herself  neat  and 
presentable,  but  the  flushed  face  still  troubled  her. 
She  viewed  herself  critically  in  the  cracked  glass,  and 
then  ran  down,  pausing  to  fan  a  few  moments  with  the 
cape  of  an  old  sunbonnet,  the  nearest  thing  at  hand. 

"  Do  I  look  decent,  Granny?"  she  said  apprehen- 
sively. 

"  To  be  sure  you  do,  and  nice  too." 

Granny's  eyes  expressed  her  admiration. 

Florence  ventured  in  timidly,  and  the  lady  inclined 
her  head. 


124  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  I  am  sorry  that  I  have  kept  you  waiting  so  long, 
but  it  was  unavoidable ; "  and  the  child  made  a  little 
halt  to  wonder  if  her  long  word  sounded  well. 

"  I  suppose  I  took  you  somewhat  by  surprise.  Are 
you  very  busy  to-day?  " 

"  Not  very,"  answered  Florence  at  random,  her 
heart  beating  violently. 

"  And  quite  well?  but  I  hardly  need  ask  the  ques- 
tion." 

"  I  am  always  well,  thank  you,"  with  a  touch  of 
grace. 

"How  fortunate!  Now,  I  have  such  wretched 
health,  and  my  nerves  are  weak  beyond  description." 

Florence  gave  a  glance  of  quick  sympathy,  not  un- 
mixed with  admiration.  There  was  something  very 
romantic  about  the  languid  lady. 

"  If  you  are  quite  at  liberty,"  Mrs.  Osgood  began, 
"  I  should  like  to  have  you  drive  out  with  me.  I  have 
a  great  deal  to  say  to  you,  and  we  shall  not  be  inter- 
rupted." 

Florence  could  hardly  credit  her  hearing.  To  be 
asked  to  ride  with  so  grand  a  lady ! 

"  Oh !  "  and  then  she  paused  and  colored. 

"  "Would  you  like  to  go? " 

"  Very,  very  much  indeed ; "  and  the  young  face  was 
full  of  pleasure. 

""Well,  get  yourself  ready ;  and,  if  you  will  send 
your  grandmother  to  me,  I  will  explain." 


FLORENCE  IN  STATE.  125 

Florence  felt  as  if  she  were  in  a  dream.  Then  she 
wondered  what  she  ought  to  wear.  She  had  a  pretty 
light  gray  dress  and  sacque  for  '•  Sunday  best,"  and  a 
new  white  dress  ;  but  her  visitor's  dress  was  gray,  and 
that  decided  her.  So  she  took  the  articles  out  of  the 
old-fashioned  wardrobe,  and  summoned  Granny. 

Granny  was  dazed.  "  Where  is  she  going  to  take 
you  ?  "  she  asked  in  helpless  astonishment. 

"  I  don't  know.     She  will  tell  you,  I  suppose." 

"  But,  Flo,  I  have  heerd  of  girls  being  kidnapped  or 
something ; "  and  Granny's  face  turned  pale  with  fear. 

"  Nonsense !  "  returned  Flossy  with  a  toss  of  the 
curls.  She  could  not  even  trouble  herself  about 
Granny's  mispronunciation  just  then. 

"  You  don't  know"  — 

"  I  guess  she  won't  eat  me  up.  Any  how,  I  am 
going." 

Florence  uttered  this  with  a  touch  of  imperiousness. 
Granny  felt  that  she  would  have  little  influence  over 
her,  so  she  entered  the  room  where  the  guest  was 
seated. 

"Mrs.  Kenneth,"  the  lady  began  in  her  most  im- 
pressive and  gracious  manner,  "  when  I  was  here  a  few 
days  ago,  I  took  a  great  fancy  to  your  granddaughter. 
My  name  is  Osgood  ;  and  I  am  sta}-ing  at  Seabury  with 
my  sister,  Mrs.  Duncan.  And  although  you  may  hesi- 
tate to  trust  Florence  with  a  stranger,  she  will  be  quite 
safe,  I  assure  you ;  and  if  you  are  willing,  therefore, 
n» 


126  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

I  should  like  to  take  her  out  for  a  few  hours.  I  have 
some  plans  that  may  be  greatly  to  the  child's  advan- 
tage, I  think." 

"  You'll  be  sure  to  bring  her  back,"  asked  Granny  in 
a  spasm  of  anxious  terror,  which  showed  in  her  eyes. 

"  Why,  certainly !  My  poor  woman,  I  cannot  blame 
you  for  this  carefulness ; "  for  the  worn  face  with  its 
eagerness  touched  Mrs.  Osgood.  "  My  brother-in-l&ir, 
Mr.  Duncan,  is  a  well-known  merchant  in  New  York ; 
and  I  think  you  will  confess  when  I  return  Florence 
this  afternoon,  that  the  ride  has  been  no  injury  to 
her." 

Granny  could  make  no  further  objections,  and  yet 
she  did  not  feel  quite  at  ease.  But  Florence  entered 
looking  so  bright  and  expectant,  that  she  had  not  the 
heart  to  disappoint  her,  so  she  kept  her  fears  to  her- 
self. 

"You  must  not  feel  troubled,"  Mrs.  Osgood 
deigned  to  say,  as  she  rose  rather  haughtily.  "You 
will  find  my  promises  perfectly  reliable." 

"  You  needn't  finish  my  pieces,"  Florence  whisptred 
softly  to  Granny  at  the  door.  "  I  shall  be  back  time 
enough ;  and  if  the  fire  is  out  I'll  wait  till  to-morrow 
They  are  my  ruffled  aprons,  and  "  — 

Mrs.  Osgood  beckoned  her  with  a  smile  and  an  incli- 
nation of  the  head.  Florence  felt  as  if  she  were  being 
bewitched. 

Granny  watched  her  as  she  stepped  into  the  carriage. 


FLORENCE  IN  STATE.  127 

"  If  she'd  been  bora  a  ladj  she  couldn't  act  more 
like  one.  If  s  a  great  pity  "  — 

A  few  tears  finished  Granny's  sentence.  All  the 
others  were  more  content  with  their  poverty  thar 
Florence. 

So  she  went  back  to  her  ironing  with  a  heart  into 
which  had  crept  some  strange  misgiving.  Hal  was 
out ;  Joe  never  came  home  to  dinner ;  so  Granny  gave 
the  children  a  piece  of  bread  all  round,  and  kept  going 
steadily  on  until  the  hist  ruffled  apron  had  been  taken 
out  of  the  pile. 

Very  long  indeed  the  hours  seemed.  Oh,  if  any 
harm  should  befall  her  beautiful,  darling  Flossy !  Poor 
Joe,  in  his  grave,  had  loved  her  so  well ! 

Flossy  meanwhile  was  having  a  most  delightful  time. 

(i  I  am  going  to  take  you  to  Salem,"  Mrs.  Osgood 
said,  after  Florence  had  begun  to  feel  quite  at  home 
with  her.  "  We  will  have  our  dinner  at  the  hotel." 

Salem  was  the  county  town, — quite  a  pretentious 
place,  with  some  broad,  straight  streets,  several  banks, 
and,  indeed,  a  thriving  business  locality.  Florence  had 
been  there  twice  with  Mrs.  Kinsey. 

Mrs.  Osgood  began  to  question  the  child  about  her- 
self. Florence  iold  over  her  past  life,  making  the 
best,  it  must  be  confessed,  of  the  poverty  and  discom- 
forts. And  yet  she  seemed  to  take  rather  hardly  the 
fact  of  such  a  lot  having  fallen  upon  her.  Mrs.  Os- 
good was  secretly  pleased  with  her  dissatisfaction. 


128  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  I  wonder  how  you  \\ould  like  to  live  with  me?" 
she  questioned.  "  I  think  I  should  enjoy  having  some 
one  that  I  could  make  a  companion  of —  as  one  never 
can  of  a  servant." 

Flossy's  heart  beat  with  a  sudden  delight,  and  for 
the  first  moment  she  could  hardly  speak. 

"  I  live  a  short  distance  from  New  York,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Hudson :  at  least,  my  house  is  there,  but 
I  travel  a  great  deal.  It  would  be  very  pleasant  to 
have  a  —  a  friend  of  one's  own,"  —  Mrs.  Osgood  was 
not  quite  sure  that  it  was  best  or  wisest  to  say  child. 

"  Oh,  it  would  be  veiy  delightful !  If  I  could"  — 
and  the  child's  eyes  were  aglow  with  delight. 

"There  are  so  many  of  you  at  home,  that  your 
grandmother  would  not  miss  one.  Besides,  I  could  do 
a  great  many  nice  things  for  you." 

"It  is  like  a  dream  !  "  and  Flossy  thought  of  her  wild 
day-dream.  "  And  I  could  sew  as  well  as  embroider  ; 
and  oh !  I  would  try  to  make  myself  useful,"  she  said 
eagerly. 

Mrs.  Osgood  smiled.  She  had  taken  a  strange 
fancy  to  this  child,  and  enjoyed  her  look  of  adoration. 

They  talked  it  over  at  some  length,  and  Flossy 
listened  with  delight  to  the  description  of  the  beautiful 
house.  This  was  altogether  different  from  Mrs.  Van 
Wyck's  affair. 

Presently  they  arrived  at  the  hotel.  Mrs.  Osgood 
ordered  the  horses  to  be  cared  for,  and  then  entered  the 
narlor. 


FLORENCE  IN  STATM.  129 

*  *  Can  we  hare  a  private  room  ?  "  she  asked  with  an 
air  that  Florence  thought  extreme! j  elegant.  *'  And 
then  onr  dinner  "  — 

44  Will  you  have  it  brought  up  to  your  room  ?" 

44  Oh,  no !  Perhaps  I  had  better  give  my  order  now,* 
and  there  was  a  languid  indifference  in  her  tone. 

44  Yes,  it  would  be  better,"  replied  the  brisk  wait- 


41  Well,  we  will  have  some  broiled  chicken,  I  think  — 
are  you  fond  of  that,  Florence?  and  vegetables — with 
some  lobster  salad  and  relishes." 

Florence  had  a  wonderful  deal  of  adaptiveness,  and 
she  almost  insensibly  copied  Mrs.  Osgood.  They 
went  up  to  the  room,  and  refreshed  themselves  with  a 
small  ablution,  for  the  riding  had  been  rather,  dusty. 
Florence  shook  out  her  beautiful  curls,  and  passed  her 
damp  fingers  over  them. 

44  What  lovely  hair ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Osgood  with  a 
sigh :  it  was  a  habit  of  hers,  as  if  every  thing  called  up 
some  pa»i  regret.  "  When  I  was  a  young  girl,  mine 
was  the  admiration  of  everybody.  You  would  hardly 
think  it  now." 

44  Were  you  ffl?"  asked  Florence,  feeling  that  she 
was  expected  to  say  something  sympathizing. 

"My  health  has  been  wretched  for  years.  Mr. 
Osgood  was  sick  a  long  while,  and  I  had  so  much 
trouble !  His  people  were  not  very  kind  to  me :  they 
tried  to  make  him  leave  the  property  away  from  me, 


*30  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

and  then  they  attempted  to  break  the  will.  There's  so 
much  selfishness  in  this  world,  iny  dear ! " 

Florence  experienced  a  profound  sympathy  for  Mrs. 
Osgood,  and  was  quite  ready  to  espouse  her  cause 
against  any  one.  Already  she  felt  in  some  way  consti- 
tuted her  champion. 

But,  as  Mr.  Osgood  left  no  children,  he  thought  it 
quite  just  that  his  property  should  go  back  to  his  own 
family  after  Mrs.  Osgood's  death.  And,  to  confess  the 
iruth,  he  had  not  found  his  wife  quite  perfection. 

There  were  not  many  people  in  the  dining-room  when 
they  entered.  They  had  one  end  of  the  long  table, 
and  the  colored  waiter  was  most  polite  and  soncitous. 
One  by  one  their  little  dishes  came  on,  and  the  broiled 
chicken-  had  a  most  appetizing  flavor. 

Florence  acquitted  herself  very  creditably.  She  was 
not  awkward  with  her  silver  fork,  and  allowed  herself 
to  be  waited  upon  with  great  complacency.  Mrs. 
Osgood  was  wonderfully  pleased,  for  she  was  watching 
every  action.  How  had  the  child  acquired  so  many 
pretty  ways  ? 

By  the  time  they  reached  home  again  it  was  agreed, 
if  grandmother  made  no  objection,  that  Florence 
should  spend  a  month  at  Seabury  with  Mrs.  Osgood. 
This  was  the  better  arrangement  the  lady  thought ;  for, 
if  she  changed  her  mind,  in  that  case  she  could  draw 
back  gracefully. 

Granny  was  much  relieved  to  see  them  return.    Mrs. 


FLORENCE  FS  STATE.  131 

Osgood  deigned  to  enter  the  cottage  again,  and 
explained  the  matter  to  old  Mrs.  Kenneth.  Florence 
seconded  the  plan  so  earnestly,  that  it  was  quite  impos- 
sible to  refuse.  And  somehow  Granny  felt  very  much 
bewildered. 

"Can  you  be  ready  next  week?"  asked  Mrs. 
Osgood.  . 

Florence  questioned  Granny  mutely  with  her  eyes ; 
but,  seeing  that  her  senses  were  going  astray,  answered 
for  herself. 

"  Monday,  then,  I  will  come  over  for  you.  And  now, 
my  child,  good-by.  I  hope  yon  hare  had  a  pleasant 
daj-." 

Florence  thanked  her  again  and  again.  Mrs- 
Osgood's  heart  was  really  touched. 

"  What  does  she  want  you  to  do?"  asked  Granny, 
absently  trying  to  thread  the  point  of  her  darning-nee- 
dle. 

"  Why,  —  Tm  sure  I  don't  know ; "  and  Flossy  fell 
into  a  brown  study.  "  To  wait  upon  her,  I  suppose, 
and  sew  a  little,  and—  I  like  her  so  much!  We  had 
an  elegant  dinner  at  Salem,  and  ice-cream  for  dessert. 
O  Granny,  if  one  only  could  be  rich ! " 

"  Yes,"  rejoined  Granny  with  a  sigh. 

"  Tell  us  aU  about  it,"  said  open-mouthed  Charlie, 
"  Mrs.  Green  saw  yon  riding  by ;  and  maybe  she 
didn't  make  a  time!  She  said  you  put  on  more  airs  than 
all 


132  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  It  is  nothing  to  her, "  bridled  Flossy. 

"  But  what  did  you  have?    Lots  of  goodies?" 

"  Yes,  indeed.  Silver  forks  and  damask  napkins 
and  finger-bowls." 

"Finger-bowls?" 

That  grandeur  was  altogether  above  Charlie's  capa- 
city. 

"  You  need  not  look  so  amazed." 

"  What  do  you  do  with  'em." 

"  Why,  there's  a  piece  of  lemon  floating  round  on 
the  top  ;  and  you  dip  in  the  ends  of  your  fingers,  and 
wipe  them  on  the  napkin." 

"  But  can't  you  eat  the  lemon?  That's  what  I'd  do." 

"  It  would  be  very  ill-bred." 

"Hum!"  and  Charlie's  nose  was  elevated.  "As 
if  I'd  care !" 

"You  would  if  you  were  out  with  refined  people." 

"  Oh,  my !  How  aristocrockery  you  are  getting ! " 
and  Charlie  gave  a  prolonged  whistle,  and  stood  on 
one  foot. 

Flossy  sighed  a  little  over  the  supper-table.  How 
nice  it  would  be  to  live  at  a  hotel,  and  have  a  servant 
to  wait  upon  one  !  But  every  thing  here  was  so  dread- 
fully common  and  poor.  And,  though  Flossy  would 
have  scorned  the  idea  of  living  out  as  a  servant,  she 
fancied  a  position  of  companion  or  ladies'  maid  would 
be  rather  agreeable  than  otherwise. 

Hal  was  very  much  interested  in  her  day's  adventure. 


FLORENCE  IN  STATE.  133 

He  seemed  to  understand  it  better  than  any  of  the 
others,  and  she  could  talk  to  him  without  the  fear  of 
being  laughed  at.  They  still  sat  in  the  moonlight, 
when  suddenly  a  sharp  click  was  heard,  and  a  report 
that  made  them  all  scream. 

Joe,  the  good-for-nothing,  laughed. 

"  Wasn't  that  gay  ?    Hurrah  for  Fourth  of  July ! " 

"Is  it  you?"  asked  Granny,  who  had  thrown  her 
apron  over  her  head  to  keep  her  from  being  shot. 
"  And  is  it  a  musket,  or  a  cannon?  " 

"Why  don't  you  frighten  us  all  to  death?"  said 
Florence  indignantly. 

"  Oh,  if  s  a  pistol ! "  exclaimed  Hal. 

"  O  Joe !  and  you'll  be  shot  all  to  pieces  before  to- 
morrow  night,"  bewailed  Granny.  "I'm  so  afraid 
of  guns  and  fire-crackers !  I  once  knew  a  little  boy 
who  had  his  hand  shot  off." 

"If  he  could  only  have  had  it  shot  on  again.  I 
mean  to  try  that  way,  like  the  man  who  jumped  into 
the  bramble-bush.  Or  wouldn't  it  do  to  shoot  the  pis- 
tol off  instead  of  my  fingers." 

"Is  it  yours  for  good,  Joe?"  and  Charlie's  head 
was  thrust  over  Hal's  shoulders.  "A  real  pistol! 
Let  me  see  it." 

41  Yes,  it's  mine.  I  bought  it  to  keep  Fourth  of 
July  with." 

"  Why,  I  forgot  all  about  Fourth  of  July,"  said 
Charlie  in  an  aggrieved  tone.  "  And  I  haven't  a  cent !  * 
12 


134  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Bad  for  you,  Charlie." 

"  Won't  you  let  me  fire  off  the  pistol?  " 

"  Oh,  don't !  "  implored  Granny. 

"Just  once  more.  It  was  splendid!  I  was  fast 
asleep  on  the  floor,  and  it  woke  me  up." 

"  Good  for  the  pistol,"  said  Joe.  "  I'll  try  it  in 
the  morning  when  you  are  asleep." 

They  all  had  to  handle  the  pistol,  and  express  their 
opinions.  Joe  had  bought  it  of  Johnny  Hall,  for  a 
dollar,  as  Johnny,  in  turn,  wanted  to  buy  a  cannon. 
And  the  remaining  half-dollar  of  his  week's  wages 
had  been  invested  in  fireworks. 

Granny  sighed.  But  boys  would  be  boys,  and 
Fourth  of  July  only  came  once  a  year. 

"  There's  to  be  an  oration  on  the  green,  and  the 
soldiers  will  be  out,  and  it'll  be  just  jolly !  Hurray ! 
And  a  holiday  in  the  middle  of  the  week !  Mr.  Terry 
said  I  needn't  come  to  the  store  at  all." 

"  There'll  be  some  music,  won't  there?  "  asked  Kit. 

"  A  drum  and  a  bass-viol,  I  guess.  But  it  would 
be  royal  to  go  over  to  Salem,  and  hear  the  brass 
band." 

"What's  a  brass  band?"  was  Kit's  rather  puzzled 
inquiry. 

"What  a  goose!  Why,  a  brass  band  is  —  norns 
and  things." 

"  What  kind  of  horns?  "  for  Joe's  explanation  lacked 
lucidity. 


FLORENCE  IN  STATE.  135 

"  Oh,  bother !  Kit,  you'll  burn  up  the  ocean  some 
day  with  your  brightness." 

"  Cornets,"  said  Hal ;  "  and  something  like  a  flute, 
and  C3*mbals,  and  ever  so  many  instruments.'* 

"  Did  you  ever  see  'em?  " 

"  No,  but  I've  read  about  them." 

Kit  chewed  his  thumb.  It  was  one  of  Ms  old  baby 
habits. 

"  Now  I  am  going  to  load  her  again,"  said  Joe,  in 
a  peculiarly  affectionate  tone.  "  It's  as  light  as  day 
out  here." 

"  But,  Joe,  if  you  should  shoot  some  one,  or  your 
fingers,  or  put  your  eyes  out ! " 

"•  Never  you  mind,  Granny.  Boys  go  ahead  of  cats 
for  lives." 

Granny  put  her  apron  over  her  head  again,  and  then 
ran  in  to  Dot. 

" Bang ! " 

"  Nobody  wounded,"  laughed  Joe,  "  and  only  two 
or  three  slightly  killed.  The  country  is  safe,  Granny, 
this  great  and  gdorious  country,  over  which  the  eagle 
waves  his  plumes,  and  flaps  his  wings,  and  would  crow 
if  he  could.  My  soul  is  filled  with  enthusiasm,  —  I 
feel  as  if  I  should  bust,  and  fly  all  round!  There's 
that  miserable  Dot  lifting  up  her  voice." 

The  racket  had  broken  her  slumbers,  and  then  the 
children  were  implored  to  be  quiet.  Joe  went  to  bed, 
in  order  to  be  able  to  £et  up  good  and  early.  Charlie 


136  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

thought  she  should  sleep  with  her  clothes  on,  so  as  to 
save  the  trouble  of  dressing.  Kit  sat  in  the  moon- 
light chewing  his  thumb,  and  wondering  if  he  could 
manage  to  get  over  to  Salem  to-morrow.  If  he  could 
only  hear  that  music  1 


CHAPTER  IX. 

FOUKTH    OF   JULY. 

M^HE  children  were  up  at  the  peep  of  dawn.     Gran- 
ny  was  awakened  by  something  that  seemed  not 
unlike  the  shock  of  an  earthquake ;  but  Flossy,  rubbing 
her  eyes,  said  with  a  sigh,  — 

"  Oh,  dear !  Joe  has  begun  with  his  pistol  the  first 
thing !  What  does  possess  boys  to  be  so  noisy ! " 

Charlie,  perched  astride  the  gate-post,  her  clothes 
considerably  tumbled,  and  her  hair  unkempt,  thought 
it  splendid.  "If  Joe  would  only  let  her  fire  once! 
Just  as  soon  as  she  had  a  dollar  she  meant  to  buy  a 
pistol  of  her  own.  It  would  always  be  good  to  keep 
away  robbers ! " 

Joe  laughed  uproariously. 

"Robbers  indeed!  There's  nothing  to  steal  here, 
unless  if  s  some  of  the  youngsters.  You'd  be  sure  to 
go  first,  Charlie ! " 

"  I  shall  be  thankful  when  Fourth  of  July  is  over," 
said  Granny  in  a  troubled  voice,  while  Joe  was  sing- 
ing,- 

"  But  children  are  not  pigs,  you  know, 

And  cannot  pay  the  rint;" 

12»  M7 


138  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

but  at  that  remark  so  derogatory  to  patriotism,  he 
bridled  up  at  once. 

' '  Fourth  of  July's  as  good  as  Saint  Patrick,  or  any 
other  man.  Who  would  be  so  base  and  ignoble  of 
soul,  and  stingy  of  powder,  as  not  to  celebrate  his 
birthday !  when  the  country  stretches  from  the  north 
pole  to  the  south,  and  is  kept  from  bursting  only  by 
the  centrifugal  forces  of  the  equator  "  — 

Hal's  rooster  finished  the  speech  by  his  longest  and 
loudest  crow. 

"  Good  for  you !  You've  some  patriotism,  I  see. 
You  are  not  craven  of  soul,  if  powder  doesn't  come  in 
your  way.  Granny,  when  can  we  have  breakfast? 
I'm  about  famished  with  all  my  speech-making." 

Hal  fed  his  crowd  of  chickens,  and  amused  Dot,  who 
did  not  quite  enjoy  being  deprived  of  her  morning  nap. 
Presently  they  were  summoned  to  their  meal. 

"  I'm  going  over  to  the  store,"  announced  Joe.  "  I 
want  to  see  the  Declaration  of  Independence  read  by 
the  American  eagle,  and  the  salute  fired  by  the  Stars 
and  Stripes,  while  the  militia  climb  up  their  muskets 
and  give  three  cheers." 

"Are  they  going  to  do  that?"  asked  Charlie. 
"  Granny,  can't  I  go  too?" 

"  You  must  put  on  a  clean  dress." 

"Oh,  dear !  when  I  slept  in  mine  too,  so  as  to  be 
ready,"  Charlie  exclaimed,  broken-hearted.  "Won't 
you  wait,  Joe?" 


FOURTH   OF  JULY.  139 

"  I  can't  bother  with  girls,"  returned  Joe. 

Charlie  lamented  her  hard  fate,  but  emerged  from 
the  hands  of  Florence  quite  a  respectable  looking 
child.  Kit  spent  some  time  in  adorning  himself,  and 
trying  to  smooth  his  refractory  scalp-lock.  He  had 
been  very  quiet  all  the  morning. 

"  Now  that  they  are  off  we  can  have  a  little  peace," 
said  Florence. 

Granny  sighed.  They  were  a  great  bother  and  tor- 
ment, to  be  sure ;  but,  after  all,  it  was  good  to  have 
the  merry,  noisy  crew,  safe  and  sound,  and  she  should 
be  glad  when  they  returned. 

Hal's  tastes  inclined  neither  to  fire-crackers  nor 
sky-rockets.  So  he  went  into  the  garden,  and  began  to 
look  after  his  rather  neglected  vegetables.  The  chick- 
ens made  bad  work,  it  must  be  confessed,  though  the 
attractions  of  their  buckwheat  field  were  pretty  strong, 
and  Hal  ingeniously  repaired  the  fence  with  brush  ;  but 
now  and  then  there  would  be  a  raid.  The  Lima  beans 
were  doing  beautifull}-,  the  corn  looked  promising ;  and, 
altogether,  he  thought  the  prospect  was  fair.  Then  he 
met  with  a  delightful  surprise. 

"O  Granny!"  and  he  rushed  into  the  house. 
"Just  think, — three  of  my  grape-vines  have  beauti- 
ful long  shoots  on  them.  I  haven't  looked  in  ever  so 
long,  for  I  thought  they  didn't  mean  to  grow.  Come 
and  see." 

There   they  were,  sure   enough.     Hal  had  set  out 


140  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

some  cuttings  from  the  neighbors,  but  he  had  been 
almost  discouraged  with  their  slow  progress. 

"  That's  a  Concord,  and  that's  a  Hartford  Prolific. 
Don't  they  look  lovely  in  their  soft,  pinkish  green ! 
Why,  I  feel  as  if  I  could  give  them  all  a  hug.  I'll 
have  to  put  a  lattice  round,  for  fear  of  the  chickens." 

So  he  went  to  work.  Dot  wanted  to  help,  and 
brought  him  useless  sticks,  while  she  carried  off  hia 
hammer  and  lost  his  nails.  But  when  she  looked  up 
at  him  with  the  sweetest  little  face  in  the  world,  and 
said,  "Ain't  Dotty  'mart?  Dotty  help  'ou,"  he  could 
not  scold  her. 

The  dinner  was  rather  quiet.  None  of  the  stray 
youngsters  made  their  appearance.  Afterward  Flor- 
ence dressed  herself,  and  went  to  see  Netty  Bigelow, 
her  dearest  school-friend,  and  imparted  to  her  that  she 
was  going  to  Seabury  next  Monday,  to  stay  a  month 
with  a  very  elegant  lady,  and  that  she  would  live  at  a 
hotel.  Then  she  described  her  ride  to  Salem,  and  the 
dinner. 

"Oh,  how  nice  it  must  have  been! "said  Netty. 
"You  are  the  luckiest  girl  I  ever  did  know,  Florence 
Kenneth." 

"  I  just  wish  I  was  as  rich  as  Mrs.  Osgood.  It 
&2ems  to  me  that  poor  people  cannot  be  very  happy." 

' '  I  don't  know,"  Netty  returned  thoughtfully.  ' l  The 
Graysons  do  not  seem  very  happy." 

"But  I  never  saw  such  mean,  disagreeable  girls; 


FOURTH  OF  JULY.  141 

and  they  are  not  dressed  a  bit  j  retty.  If  there's  any 
thing  in  school  they  always  want  their  share,  but  they 
never  treat." 

"And  we  are  poor,"  continued  Netty;  "but  I'm 
sure  we  are  happy." 

Florence  felt  that  her  friend  could  hardly  understand 
the  degree  of  happiness  that  she  meant.  She  was 
rather  out-growing  her  youthful  companions. 

About  mid-afternoon  Hal  took  a  walk  over  to  the 
store.  The  old  rusty  cannon  of  Revolutionary  memory 
had  been  fired  on  the  green,  the  speeches  made,  and 
the  small  crowd  dispersed,  Nearly  everybody  had 
gone  to  Salem ;  but  a  few  old  stagers  still  congregated 
at  the  store,  it  being  general  head-quarters. 

Hal  picked  Charlie  out  of  a  group  of  children,  in  a 
very  dilapidated  condition.  Her  once  clean  dress  was 
soiled,  torn,  and  burned ;  her  hands  gave  the  strongest 
evidence  that  dust  entered  largely  into  the  composition 
of  small  people ;  and  her  face  was  variegated  by  per- 
spiration and  dabs  from  these  same  unlucky  hands. 

"O  Charlie!  you  look  like  a  little  vagabond!" 
exclaimed  Hal  in  despair.  "  I'D  asnamed  of  you  ! " 

"  But  I've  had  such  fun,  and  cakes  and  candies  and 
fire-crackers  and  torpedoes !  I  wish  Fourth  of  July 
would  keep  right  straight  along.  I  burned  one  of  my 
fingers,  but  I  didn't  mind,"  declared  the  patriotic  girl. 

"Where's  Kit?" 

"  I  don't  know.  Joe  was  round  this  morning,  but  1 
guess  he  went  to  Salem." 


142  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  You  must  come  home  with  me  now." 

"O  Hal!  we  haven't  found  all  the  '  cissers '  yet. 
They're  almost  as  good  as  fire-crackers." 

Several  of  the  children  were  burrowing  in  the  grass 
and  sand  for  "fusees,"  —  crackers  that  had  failed  to 
explode  to  the  full  extent  of  their  powder.  They 
broke  them  in  two  and  relighted  them. 

Hal  was  inexorable ;  so  Charlie  cried  a  little,  and 
then  bade  her  dirty  companions  a  sad  farewell. 

"Oh!"  exclaimed  Granny,  as  they  came  marching 
up  the  path,  "what  a  sight!  And  your  Sunday  best 
dress,  Charlie !" 

"Well,"  sniffed  Charlie  with  a  crooked  face,  though 
there  were  no  tears  to  give  it  effect,  "I'm  sure  I 
didn't  want  to  put  it  on.  I  hate  to  be  dressed  up ! 
Something  always  happens  to  your  Sunday  clothes. 
I  couldn't  help  tearing  it,  and  Jimmy  Earl  set  off  a 
cracker  right  in  my  lap  "  — 

"  Well,  I'm  glad  it  wasn't  your  eyes,"  said  Granny 
thankfully.  And  then  she  took  the  forlorn  pj-ramid 
of  dirt  and  disorder  up  stairs,  where  she  had  a  good 
scrubbing,  and  was  re-arrayed  in  a  more  decent 
fashion.  Anybody  else  would  have  scolded,  but  Gran- 
ny was  so  glad  to  have  her  back  safe  and  sound. 

Her  heart  was  sorely  anxious  about  Kit  and  Joe. 
She  let  the  supper  stand  on  the  table,  and  they  all  sat 
on  the  doorstep  in  the  moonlight ;  for  Dot  had  taken  a 
nap  in  the  afternoon,  and  was  bright  as  a  new  penny. 


FOURTH  OF  JULY.  143 

And  she  fancied,  as  many  mothers  and  grandmothers 
have  before  now,  that  shocking  accidents  had  happened, 
and  maybe  they  would  be  maimed  and  crippled  for  life. 

Presently  they  came  straggling  along,  and  Granny 
uttered  a  cry  of  relief. 

"  Oh !  "  she  said,  "  are  you  all  here?  Haven't  you 
lost  your  hands,  nor  your  fingers,  nor  "  — 

"  Nor  our  noses,  and  not  even  our  tongues,"  laughed 
Joe.  "  Here  we  are,  pistol  and  all." 

"  O  Bat !  where  have  you  been?  I  was  a  most  wor- 
ried to  death ;  and  you  look  tuckered  out." 

For  Kit  was  pale  to  ghostliness  as  he  stood  there  in 
the  moonlight. 

"Where  do  you  think  I  found  him,  —  the  small 
snipe  ?  Way  over  to  Salem !  " 

"O  Kit!  did  you  see  the  fireworks  and  the  sol- 
diers ?  "  exclaimed  Charlie  breathlessly. 

Kit  sank  down  on  the  doorstep. 

"Walked  all  the  way  over  there,  and  hadn't  a 
penny ! " 

"  How  could  you  Kit,  without  saying  a  word?  "  ex- 
claimed Granny  in  a  tone  of  mild  reproach. 

"  I  could  have  given  you  a  little  money,"  said  Hal 
tenderly. 

"  And  it's  a  mercy  that  you  didn't  get  run  over,  or 
shot  to  pieces,  or  trampled  to  death  in  the  crowd  "  — 

"  O  Granny !  don't  harrow  up  our  feelings,"  said  Joe. 

"  I  was  afraid  you  wouldn't  let  me  go,"  began  Kit,  at 


144  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

the  first  available  opportunity  for  slipping  in  a  word. 
"  And  I  didn't  walk  quite  all  the  way  there,  —  a  man 
came  along,  and  gave  me  a  ride.  I  wanted  to  hear  the 
music  so  much !  The  soldiers  were  splendid,  Charlie  ; 
some  of  'em  with  great  white  feathers  in  their  hats 
and  swords  and  beautiful  horses  and  coats  all  over 
gold  "  — 

"  Wonderful  hats,"  suggested  Joe  with  a  twinkle  ;  for 
Kit  had  gone  on  with  small  regard  to  commas  or 
accent. 

"They  all  know  what  I  mean!"  said  Kit  rather 
testily. 

"  Don't  plague  him,"  interposed  Hal.  "  About  the 
music,  Kit?" 

"  Oh !  I  can't  half  tell  you ; "  and  Kit  gave  a  long 
sigh.  "  There  were  drums  and  fifes,  and  those  clap- 
pers—  I  don't  remember  what  you  called  'em,  but  I 
liked  it  best  when  the  men  were  horning  with  their 
horns  "  — 

Joe  gave  a  loud  outburst,  and  went  over  on  his  head. 

"Well,"  said  Kit  much  aggrieved,  "what  are  you 
laughing  about?" 

"  Horning !  That  is  good  !  You  had  better  write  a 
new  dictionary,  Kit.  It  is  a  decided  improvement 
upon  '  toot,'  and  must  commend  itself  to  Flossy's 
attention  for  superior  elegance.  There,  my  dear,  give 
me  a  vote  of  thanks ;  "  and  Joe  twitched  Flossy's  long 
curls. 


FOURTH  OF  JULT.  145 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  call  it,  then,"  said  KU 
rather  sulkily. 

"  They  blew  on  the  horns,"  Hal  rejoined  in  his 
soothing  tone,  that  was  always  a  comfort  in  times  of 
disturbance ;  "  and  the  cornets,  wind-instruments,  I 
believe,  though  I  don't  know  the  names  of  them  all. 
It  must  have  been  delightful." 

"  Oh,  it  was !  I  shut  my  eyes,  and  it  seemed  as  if  I 
was  floating  on  a  sea,  and  there  were  all  the  waves 
beating  up  and  down,  and  then  a  long  soft  sound  like 
the  wind  blowing  in  and  shaking  it  all  to  echoes.  I 
was  so  sorry  when  they  stopped.  They  all  went  into 
the  hotel,  I  guess  it  was.  By  and  by  I  wandered  off  a 
little  ways,  and  sat  on  a  stoop ;  and  some  one  was  play- 
ing on  a  piano.  That  was  beautiful  too.  I'd  like  to 
crawl  inside  of  something,  as  the  fairies  do,  and  just 
live  there  and  listen  forever." 

"  And  then  I  found  him,  hungry  and  tired,  and 
bought  him  some  cake,"  interrupted  Joe.  "  We 
waited  to  see  the  fireworks,  and  rode  home  in  Mr. 
Teiry's  wagon.  But  for  that  I  guess  he'd  been  sitting 
on  the  stoop  yet." 

*'  And  you  haven't  tasted  a  mouthful  of  supper ! " 
exclaimed  Granny ;  "  and  I  a  listenin'  here,  and  never 
thinkin'  of  it." 

'*  I'm  not  much  hungry,"  said  Joe.  "  I  was  treated 
a  time  or  two  by  the  boys." 

But  he  thought  he  wouldn't  tell  that  he  had  taken  up 


146  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

ais  week's  wages  in  advance,  and  spent  it  all.  Fourth 
of  July  did  not  come  but  once  a  year,  and  a  body 
ought  to  have  a  good  time. 

Poor  Joe  had  discovered,  much  to  his  chagrin,  that  a 
dollar  and  a  half  would  not  work  wonders.  It  seemed 
to  him  at  first  that  he  never  could  get  his  suit  of 
clothes  paid  for ;  then  it  was  a  hat,  a  pair  of  shoes, 
some  cheap  summer  garments ;  and  he  never  had  a 
penny  for  Hal  or  any  one  else.  In  fact,  he  began  to 
think  that  he  would  make  more  money  working  round 
for  the  farmers.  But  then  the  store  was  steady  em- 
ployment. 

He  gave  Charlie  a  glowing  account  of  the  fireworks, 
while  Kit  was  eating  a  bowl  of  bread  and  milk ;  then 
they  were  glad  to  tumble  into  bed. 

"  I'm  thankful  it's  all  over,  and  their  arms  and  legs 
are  safe,  and  their  eyes  not  blown  out,"  said  Granny 
with  fervent  gratitude. 

Kit  was  pretty  tired  the  next  day,  and  Joe  found  it 
rather  hard  to  make  all  things  work  together  for  good. 
Granny  shed  a  few  tears  over  Charlie's  "  best  dress," 
and  wondered  how  she  could  patch  it  so  as  to  look 
decent. 

Florence,  in  the  mean  while,  was  much  occupied  with 
her  own  plans.  She  could  hardly  wait  for  Monday  to 
come,  and  proposed  to  do  the  usual  washing  on  Satur- 
day, so  there  wouldn't  fte  any  "  muss"  around  when 
Mrs.  Osgood  called. 


FOURTH  OF  JULY.  147 

She  was  neat  as  a  new  pin  as  she  sat  awaiting  her 
visitor.  Her  clothes  had  been  looked  over,  and  the 
best  selected.  There  was  nothing  to  pack  them  in, 
however,  except  a  small,  moth-eaten  hair  trunk,  or  a 
dilapidated  bandbox;  and  the  hitter  was  Florence's 
detestation. 

" 1  can  do  them  up  in  a  paper,"  she  said ;  and  Charlie 
was  sent  to  scour  the  neighborhood  for  the  required 
article. 

Mrs.  Osgood  and  Mrs.  Duncan  came  together.  The 
latter  lady  had  laughed  a  little  at  her  sister's  plan  at 
first ;  but,  when  she  found  it  was  really  serious,  thought 
it  would  be  as  well  for  her  to  try  it  a  month. 

Mrs.  Duncan  was  rather  exclusive,  and  had  a  horror 
of  crowds  of  poor  people's  children. 

"  It  would  be  so  much  better  to  take  some  one  who 
had  no  relatives,"  she  said. 

"  I  shall  not  adopt  the  whole  family,  you  may  be 
sore,"  was  the  response. 

Some  of  Mrs.  Duncan's  prejudices  were  surmounted 
by  the  general  order  and  tidiness  to  which  Florence 
had  reduced  matters ;  and  she  was  wonderfully  well- 
bred,  considering  her  disadvantages. 

"  I  shall  keep  her  for  a  month,  while  I  remain  at 
Seabury ;  and,  if  I  should  want  her  afterward,  we  can 
make  some  new  arrangements,"  Mrs.  Osgood  ex- 
plained. "  I  shall  see,  of  course,  th&t  she  has  ample 
remuneration." 


148  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Florence  colored.  Living  with  such  a  grand  lady 
seemed  enough,  without  any  pay. 

"What  are  yon  crying  for,  Granny?"  she  asked  as 
she  followed  her  into  the  kitchen.  "  How  ridicxdous ! 
Why,  it  is  just  as  if  I  were  going  away  upon  a  visit ; 
and  }-ou  wouldn't  be  sorry  then." 

"  It  isn't  because  I'm  sorry ;  —  but  —  none  of  you 
have  ever  been  away  afore  "  — 

Florence  knitted  her  brows.  How  foolish  to  make 
such  a  fuss ! 

"  There  are  so  many  of  us,  that  we're  like  bees  in 
a  hive.  You  ought  to  be  glad  to  have  me  go.  And 
I  dare  say  I  shall  ride  over  some  day  "  — 

"  To  be  sure.     But  every  one  is  missed." 

Florence  kissed  the  children  all  round,  and  was 
much  mortified  at  the  bundle  tied  up  in  a  newspaper. 

"  If  I  get  any  money,  I  mean  to  buy  a  travelling- 
bag,"  she  commented  internally 

"  Tate  me  too,"  exclaimed  Dot,  clinging  to  Flor- 
ence's dress  :  luckily  her  hands  were  clean. 

"Oh!  you  can't  go,  Dotty:  Charlie  will  show  you 
the  beautiful  chickens." 

Dot  set  up  a  fearful  cry,  and  wriggled  herself  out 
of  Charlie's  arms,  and  Granny  took  her.  Florence  hur- 
ried through  her  good-bys,  and  was  glad  to  leave  the 
confusion  behind. 

Granny  indulged  in  a  little  cry  afterward,  and  then 
went  to  her  ironing.  Of  course  they  must  all  flit  from 


FOURTH  OF  JULY.  149 

the  old  hire  some  time.  She  could  hardly  persuade 
herself  that  Florence  was  fifteen, — almost  a  young 
lady. 

Joe  and  Hal  wanted  to  hear  all  the  particulars  that 
evening.  Charlie  dilated  grandly  on  the  m*gp"***^^ 
of  the  ladies. 

"  If  s  real  odd,"  said  Joe.  "  Flossy  always  wanted 
to  be  a  lady ;  and  maybe  this  is  a  step  towards  it.  I 
wonder  if  I  shall  ever  get  to  sea ! " 

"  Oh,  don't ! "  exclaimed  Granny  in  a  pitiful  voice. 

When  Mrs.  Green  heard  the  news,  she  had  to  come 
over. 

"I  don't  suppose  they'd  ever  thought  on't,  if  it 
hadn't  been  for  me,"  she  exclaimed.  "  They  stopped 
to  my  house  while  their  wagon  was  bein'  mended,  and 
the  sickly  lookin'  one  seemed  to  be  terribly  interested 
in  your  folks ;  so,  thinks  I,  if  I  can  do  a  good  turn 
for  a  neighbor  it's  all  right ;  and  I  spoke  a  word,  now 
and  then,  for  Florence,  —  though  it's  a  pity  her  name 
hadn't  been  Mary  Jane.  I  never  did  approve  of  such 
romantic  names  for  children.  And  I  hope  Florence 
will  be  a  good  girl,  and  suit ;  for  the  Lord  knows  that 
you  ha^-e  your  hands  full ! " 

Charlie  ran  wild,  as  usual,  through  vacation.  In 
one  of  her  long  rambles  in  the  woods  she  found  a  hol- 
low tree  with  a  rock  beside  it,  and  her  fertile  imagina- 
tion  at  once  suggested  a  cave.  She  worked  very 
industriously  to  get  it  in  order ;  brought  a  great  pile 


150  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

of  leaves  for  a  bed,  and  armsful  of  brush  to  cook  with, 
and  then  besought  Kit  to  run  away  and  live  in  the 
woods. 

Kit  tried  it  for  one  day.  They  had  some  apples 
and  berries,  and  a  piece  of  bread  taken  from  the 
pantry  when  Granny  wasn't  around.  They  undertook 
to  fish,  but  could  not  catch  any  thing  ;  though  Charlie 
was  quite  sure,  that,  if  Joe  would  lend  her  his  pistol, 
she  could  shoot  a  bird. 

"  Anyhow,  we'll  have  a  fire,  and  roast  our  apples," 
said  Charlie,  undaunted. 

"  But  it's  awful  lonesome,  I  think.  S'pose  we  don't 
sta}T  all  night :  Granny'll  be  worried." 

"  Pooh  !  "  returned  Charlie  with  supreme  disdain. 

So  she  lighted  her  fire.  The  twigs  crackled  and 
blazed,  and  the  flame  ran  along  on  the  ground. 

"Isn't  it  splendid!"  she  exclaimed,  "Why,  it's 
almost  like  fireworks !  Oh,  see,  Kit !  that  dead  tree 
has  caught.  We'll  have  a  gay  old  time  now." 

Alas  !  Charlie's  "  gay  old  time"  came  to  an  ignoble 
end.  Some  one  rushed  through  the  woods  shouting,  — 

"  Hillo  !  What  the  mischief  are  you  at?  Don't  you 
know  any  better  than  to  be  setting  the  woods  on  fire  ?  " 

It  was  Mr.  Trumbull,  looking  angry  enough.  He 
bent  the  burning  tree  over,  and  stamped  out  the  blaze  ; 
then  poked  the  fire  apart,  and  crushed  the  burning 
fragments  into  the  soft  ground.  A  dense  smoke  filled 
the  little  nook. 


FOURTH  OF  JULY.  151 

"Whose  work  is  this?  You  youngsters  deserve  a 
good  thrashing,  and  I've  half  a  mind  to  take  your  hide 
off." 

With  that  he  caught  Kit  by  the  arm. 

"  He  didn't  do  it,"  spoke  up  courageous  Charlie. 
"  He  never  brought  a  leaf  nor  a  stick ;  and  you  aha' n't 
thrash  him!" 

"  What's  he  here  for,  then?  " 

"I  brought  him." 

"  And  did  you  kindle  the  fire?" 

"Yes,"  said  Charlie,  hanging  her  head  a  little. 

"  What  for  ?  Didn't  yon  know  that  yon  might  burn 
the  woods  down,  in  such  a  dry  time?  Why,  I  could 
shut  you  up  in  jail  for  it." 

That  frightened  Charlie  a  good  deal. 

*'I  didn't  mean  to — do  any  harm:  we  thought — 
we'd  have  a  little  fan" —  came  out  Charlie's  answer 
by  jerks. 

"  Fine  fan !  Why,  you're  Granny  Kenneth's  young- 
sters!  I  guess  HI  have  to  march  you  off  to  jail." 

"  Oh,  let  Kit  go  home!  "cried  Charlie  with  a  great 
lump  in  her  throat.  "  It  wasn't  his  fault.  He  didn't 
even  want  to  come." 

Something  in  the  child's  air  and  frankness  touched 
Mr.  Trnmbull's  heart,  and  caused  him  to  smile.  He 
had  a  houseful  of  children  at  home,  every  one  of  whom 
pommrnimd  a  wonderful  faculty  for  mischief;  but  this 
little  girl's  bravery  disarmed  his  anger. 


152  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  I^want  to  explain  to  you  that  a  fire  like  this  migh* 
burn  down  a  handsome  piece  of  woodlands  worth  thou- 
sands of  dollars.  All  these  large  trees  are  sent  to  the 
sawmill,  and  made  into  boards  and  shingles  and  various 
things.  So  it  would  be  a  great  loss." 

"I'm  very  sorry,"  returned  Charlie.  "I  didn't 
know  it  would  do  any  harm." 

"  If  I  don't  take  you  to  jail  this  time,  will  you 
promise  never  to  do  it  again  ?  " 

Charlie  shivered  a  little  at  her  narrow  escape. 

"  I  surely  wouldn't,"  she  said  very  soberly. 

By  this  time  Mr.  Trumbull  had  the  fire  pretty  well 
out. 

"  "Well,  don't  ever  let  me  catch  you  at  it  again,  or 
you  will  not  get  off  so  easily.  Now  trot  home  as  fast 
as  you  can." 

Charlie  paused  a  moment,  tugging  at  the  cape  of  her 
sun-bonnet. 

"  I'm  glad  you  told  me  about  burning  up  the  woods," 
she  said.  "  I  didn't  think  of  that." 

Mr.  Trumbull  laughed  pleasantly. 

So  the  two  walked  homeward,  Charlie  in  a  more 
serious  frame  of  mind  than  usual. 

"  I  tell  you,  Kit,"  she  began  at  length,  "  out  West 
is  the  place  to  have  a  cave,  and  fires,  and  all  that 
Hal  had  a  book  about  it.  Sometimes  children  are  kid- 
napped by  Indians,  and  live  in  their  tents,  and  learn 
how  to  make  bead-bags  and  moccasins"  — 


FOURTH  OF  JULY.  153 

"  I  don't  want  to  go ;"  and  Kit  gave  his  slender 
shoulders  a  shrug.  "  They  scalp  you  too." 

'•  But  they  wouldn't  me.  I  should  many  one  of  the 
chiefs."  Then,  after  a  rather  reflective  pause,  "  Ta 
glad  we  didn't  burn  down  Mr.  TrumbuITs  woods :  only 
I  guess  he  wasn't  in  earnest  when  he  said  he  would  pot 
me  in  jaiL" 

But  for  an  that  she  begged  Kit  not  to  relate  their 
adventure  to  Granny,  and  perplexed  her  youthful  brain 
for  a  more  feasible  method  of  running  away. 

The  house  seemed  very  odd  without  Florence.  The 
children's  small  errors  passed  unrebuked;  and  they 
revelled  in  flirt  to  their  utmost  content.  For  what  with 
working  out  a  day  now  and  then,  getting  meals,  patch- 
ing old  clothes,  and  sundry  odd  jobs,  Granny  had  her 
poor  old  hands  quite  fiilL  But  she  never  complained. 


CHAPTER  X. 

WHICH    SHOULD    SHE    CHOOSE? 

npHE  reality  at  Seabury  far  exceeded  Florence  Ken- 
netli's  expectations.  The  hotel  was  really  finer 
than  that  at  Salem.  And  then,  instead  of  being  maid, 
she  found  here  a  woman  who  waited  upon  Mrs.  Osgood, 
arranged  her  hair,  kept  her  dresses  in  order,  and  did 
the  small  errands.  What  was  she  to  do,  then? 

Not  very  much,  it  seemed.  She  read  aloud,  and 
Florence  was  an  undeniabl}-  good  reader ;  she  embroid- 
ered a  little,  went  every  day  for  a  ride,  and  absolutely 
sat  in  the  parlor.  It  was  rather  embarrassing  at  first. 

"  I  have  decided,"  Mrs.  Osgood  said  to  her  sister,  a 
few  days  afterward.  "The  child  has  a  very  sweet 
temper,  and  a  most  affectionate  nature ;  and  then  she 
is  so  lovely.  A  perfect  blonde  beauty !  In  two  years 
she  will  be  able  to  enter  society.  Mrs.  Deering  de- 
clared yesterday  that  her  voice  was  remarkable." 

"  I  hope  you  will  not  spoil  her  completely.  She  has 
a  good  share  of  vanity,  I  perceive." 

"  It  is  only  proper  pride  :  the  child  is  well-born.  1 
know  her  mother  must  have  been  a  lady,  and  Kenneth 
is  not  a  common  name." 

164 


WHICH  SHOULD  SHE  CHOOSE  1  155 

"  I  am  sure  I  hope  your  protegee  will  prove  a  com- 
fort." 

Then  Mrs.  Osgood  announced  her  plans  to  Florence, 
who  was  literally  overwhelmed.  To  be  adopted  by 
so  rich  a  lady,  to  have  an  elegant  home,  and  become 
skilled  in  all  accomplishments  —  was  it  not  a  dream,  — 
her  wild,  improbable  dream? 

To  Florence  Mrs.  Osgood  was  an  angel.  True,  she 
had  seen  her  rather  pettish,  and  sometimes  she  scolded 
Martha,  and  gave  way  to  hysterical  spasms ;  but  these 
were  minor  faults.  She  drew  the  child  to  her  with  the 
sweet  and  not-forgotten  arts  of  her  faded  girlhood,  and 
was  pleased  with  the  sincere  homage  that  had  in  it  so 
much  of  wonder.  Florence  would  love  her  like  a 
daughter. 

"  I  cannot  promise  to  leave  you  a  fortune,"  she  said , 
"  but  while  I  live  you  shall  have  every  thing.  I  was 
treated  very  unjustly  by  Mr.  Osgood's  will ;  though  I 
know  he  was  influenced  by  his  relatives,  who  grudge  me 
every  penny.  They  would  be  very  glad  to  have  some  of 
their  children  live  at  Roselawn :  I  christened  the  place 
myself  on  account  of  the  roses." 

"  How  beautiful  it  must  be ! "  exclaimed  Florence, 
enchanted. 

"  It  is  a  handsome  place.  You  would  have  a  gover- 
ness, and  be  taught  music  and  French  and  drawing, 
and  be  introduced  everywhere  as  my  daughter.  If  I 
had  one,  I  fancv  she  would  look  something  like  you,  for 


J56  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

I  was  called  very  pretty  in  my  younger  days ; "  and  Mrs. 
Osgood  sighed. 

"  I  can  never  be  grateful  enough,"  said  Florence. 

"  I  shall  want  you  to  love  me  a  great  deal,  — just  aa 
if  I  were  your  own  mother.  And  when  you  are  grown 
you  must  make  me  j*our  confidant.  You  will  marry 
brilliantly,  of  course  ;  but  you  must  promise  that  it  will 
not  be  without  my  consent." 

"I  shall  never  want  to  leave  you!"  declared  Flor- 
ence impulsively,  kissing  the  thin  hands. 

"  It  will  be  such  a  luxury  to  have  your  affection. 
My  life  has  always  been  so  lonely.  Very  few  people 
can  understand  my  sensitive  nature,  but  I  trust  you 
will  be  able  to." 

There  was  some  other  points  not  so  congenial. 
When  they  came  to  these,  Florence's  heart  shrank  a 
little. 

For,  if  she  chose  Mrs.  Osgood,  the  group  at  home 
must  drop  out  of  her  life  completely.  There  could  be 
no  visiting,  no  corresponding. 

Poor  Florence !  This  was  a  cloud  upon  her  bright 
visions. 

"  I  shall  write  to  your  grandmother  occasionally  to 
let  her  know  that  you  are  well ;  but,  as  my  daughter, 
you  will  be  in  such  an  entirely  different  sphere,  that 
the  slighest  intimacy  would  be  unwise." 

What  should  she  do?  Would  Granny  think  her 
cruel  and  ungrateful? 


WHICH  SHOULD  SHE  CHOOSE?  157 

Mrs.  Osgood  proposed  to  take  her  back  to  Madison 
to  spend  a  few  days  in  which  to  decide.  As  for  her, 
it  hardly  appeared  possible  to  her  that  the  child  could 
hesitate.  And  now  that  she  had  enjoyed  this  little 
taste  of  luxury,  poverty  would  seem  all  the  more  re- 
pulsive. 

They  drove  over  one  morning.  Luckily,  Granny 
was  in  very  tolerable  order;  but,  oh  the  difference! 
She  was  so  glad  to  see  Florence,  that  she  kissed  and 
cried  over  her  a  little. 

"  I  want  to  have  a  talk  with  your  grandmother,1* 
Mrs.  Osgood  said ;  and  Florence  betook  herself  to  the 
kitchen.  How  dreadfully  poor  and  mean  every  thing 
looked! 

Mrs.  Osgood  went  straight  about  the  business  ia 
hand.  She  described  her  offer  in  the  most  glowing 
terms,  and  held  out  all  its  advantages.  It  would 
relieve  Mrs.  Kenneth  from  much  care  and  anxiety, 
give  her  one  less  to  struggle  for ;  and  then  Florence 
would  have  the  position  for  which  Nature  had  fitted 
her.  Not  one  thing  was  forgotten. 

Granny  listened  like  one  in  a  dream.  Flossy  to  be 
«  rich  lady's  daughter,  —  to  ride  in  a  carriage,  to  have 
ft  piano,  and  be  dressed  in  silk !  Could  it  be  true? 

"But  oh!  I  can't  give  her  up,"  moaned  Granny. 
*'She  was  poor  Joe's  first-born,  and  such  a  sweet, 
pretty  baby!  There  never  was  one  on  'em  that  I 
could  spare." 


158  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

11 1  wish  you  would  take  counsel  with  some  friend. 
I  think  this  opportunity  for  Florence  is  too  good  to  be 
thrown  away." 

•'I  don't  know,  I'm  sure.  You  are  very  kind  and 
generous.  But  to  part  with  my  poor  darling." 

The  lady  rose  at  length. 

"I  shall  leave  Florence  here  for  three  days,"  she 
said.  "In  the  mean  while  consider  the  subject  well, 
and  do  not  stand  in  the  way  of  the  child's  welfare." 

Florence  was  very  sorry  to  part  with  Mrs.  Osgood. 
She  walked  out  to  the  gate,  and  lingered  there,  cling- 
ing to  the  slender  hand,  and  at  last  being  kissed 
tenderly. 

"  Think  earnestly  of  my  proposal.  On  Saturday  1 
shall  come  for  my  answer,"  said  Mrs.  Osgood. 

Thfe  iady  had  not  much  fear.  She  knew  that  money 
was  all-potent  in  this  world  ;  and  it  was  quite  absurd 
to  suppose  that  a  pretty  girl  would  prefer  toil  and 
poverty  in  this  hovel,  to  luxury  and  ease  with  hand- 
some surroundings. 

"  Oh  dear ! "  and  Granny's  arms  were  around  Flos- 
sy's  neck.  "  I  can't  let  you  go  away  forever.  And 
I  am  sure  you  don't  want  to,"  scanning  the  fair  face 
with  her  fond  and  eager  eyes. 

"  Granny,  I  don't  know  what  to  say.  I  should  so 
like  to  have  an  education,  and  to  be  —  oh !  don't  cry 
so.  If  every  one  thinks  I  ought  not  to  go,"  —  and 
Flossy's  lip  quivered. 


WHICH  SHOULD  SHE  CHOOSE?  159 

"  I  am  a  (polish  old  body."  sobbed  Granny.  "  Tm 
not  worth  minding,  my  dear." 

"  Fossy  tam  home.  What  'ou  ky?"  said  Dot,  tog- 
ging at  Granny's  dress. 

"  If  we  could  see  you  once  in  a  while." 

Florence  felt  the  last  to  be  an  impossibility.  She 
had -a  keen  perception  of  the  difference  in  station, 
and  the  nameless  something  that  Granny  could  not  be 
brought  to  see. 

"  You  would  hear  about  me,"  she  said  softly. 

Granny  went  back  to  her  ironing.  Florence  offered 
to  help,  and  arranged  her  own  light  table.  But  it 
was  uncomfortable  this  hot  summer  day,  and  her  ten- 
der hand  felt  as  if  it  was  blistered.  She  consoled  her- 
self by  relating  the  experiences  of  the  past  month,  and 
inwardly  sighing  for  the  luxurious  life.  Granny  was 
not  so  stupid  but  that  she  could  see  the  direction  of 
the  child's  desires. 

"  I  don't  wonder  that  you  liked  it ;  and  she  couldn't 
help  loving  you,  even  if  I  do  say  it.  Why,  a  queen 
might  be  proud  of  you !  If  we  knew  some  one  to  ask." 

«*  There  is  Mr.  Howard,"  Florence  suggested. 

"Sure  enough.  He  would  see  all  sides  of  it. 
Well  go  over  after  the  work  is  done ; "  and  Granny 
tried  to  smile  a  little  lightness  into  her  sad  face, 

Charlie  had  gone  to  pall  weeds  for  a  neighbor,  Hal 
was  out  also,  so  there  was  only  Kit  to  dinner.  Aftei 
that  was  out  of  the  way,  and  Dot  had  her  nap,  they 
made  themselves  ready  for  their  call. 


160  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Florence  tried  her  best  to  make  a  lady  out  of  Granny. 
A  queer  little  old  woman  she  was,  and  would  be  to  the 
end  of  the  chapter.  Her  bonnet  was  dreadfully  old- 
fashioned,  and  her  gingham  dress  too  short  for  modern 
requirements.  Her  wrinkled  hands  were  as  brown  as 
berries,  and  she  never  would  wear  gloves  in  the  sum- 
mer. Then,  after  she  was  all  ready,  she  surreptitiously 
tied  on  her  black  alpaca  apron  ;  at  which  Flossy  gave 
a  sigh  of  despair. 

The  parsonage  was  a  pretty  little  nest,  half-covered 
with  vines,  and  shaded  by  a  great  sj-camore.  Dolly 
and  Fred  Howard  were  playing  on  the  grass,  and  Dot 
started  for  the  small  group  instantly. 

"O  Mrs.  Kenneth!  how  do  you  do?  What  a 
stranger  you  are !  And  here  is  Florence,  fresh  as  a 
rose !  I  heard  that  you  had  run  away,  ray  child. 
Come  and  sit  in  the  shade  here :  it  is  cooler  than 
within  doors.  Mary,  here  are  some  visitors." 

Mrs.  Howard  gave  them  a  cordial  welcome,  and 
insisted  that  Granny  should  lay  aside  her  bonnet.  She 
inquired  if  Florence  had  enjoyed  her  month  at  Seabury, 
and  if  she  was  not  glad  to  get  back  again. 

Granny  twisted  her  apron-strings,  and  glanced  at 
the  young  girl  uneasily.  Of  course  she  must  begin 
somehow,  but  there  was  a  great  sinking  at  her  heart. 

"  Flossy's  had  a  chance,"  she  began;  and  then  the 
strings  were  untied.  "  We  thought  we'd  come  and 
ask  a  little  advice.  It's  hard  tellin'  what's  for  the 


WHICH  SHOULD  SHE   CHOOSE  t  161 

best ; "  and  Granny  looked  as  if  she  might  break  down 
into  a  cry. 

"  A  chance  for  an  education?"  asked  Mrs.  Howard. 

"  No :  it's —  to  go  for  good.  Flossy,  you  tell.  J  am 
not  much  of  a  hand  at  getting  things  straight,"  mur- 
mured Granny. 

Florence  told  the  story  in  a  very  lady-like  fashion, 
giving  it  the  air  of  a  romance. 

"Why,  Florence,  that  is  quite  an  adventure.  And 
she  wants  to  adopt  you?"  Mrs.  Howard  exclaimed, 
much  interested. 

"  Do  you  know  any  thing  about  this  Mrs.  Osgood?" 
asked  Mr.  Howard. 

Florence  used  her  limited  knowledge  to  its  fullest 
extent. 

"  Oh !  I  believe  I  know  something  about  Mrs.  Dun- 
can. Dr.  Carew  was  attending  the  boy.  I  have 
heard  him  speak  of  them  all.  Isn't  Mrs.  Osgood 
something  of  an  invalid,  —  rather  full  of  whims  ?  " 

"  She  is  not  very  strong,"  Florence  admitted. 

"  But  it  is  a  remarkable  offer,"  rejoined  Mrs.  How- 
ard. "  And  to  have  one  of  the  family  so  well  pro- 
vided for,  seems  like  an  especial  providence." 

"  But  to  have  her  go  away,"  said  Granny.  "  To 
give  her  up,  and  never  see  her  again  i " 

"  That  does  seem  unkind.  Perhaps  it  would  not  be 
quite  as  bad  as  that." 

Mr.  Howard  studied  Florence  attentively  for  a  few 


162  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

moments.     He  had  always  considered  her  rather  above 
her  station. 

"  It  certainly  is  a  generous  proposal,  granting  every 
thing  to  be  as  represented.  Florence  will  receive  a 
superior  education,  and  be  raised  above  the  care  and 
drudgery  of  life.  Yet  she  may  have  to  devote  many 
of  her  best  years  to  Mrs.  Osgood ;  and  ministering 
to  an  invalid  is  wearisome  work.  It  is  taking  her 
entirely  away  from  her  family,  to  be  sure  ;  but,  putting 
aside  love,  she  might  never  be  able  to  help  along  much. 
Women  are  not  extravagantl}-  remunerated  ;  and,  if  she 
went  away  to  teach  school,  she  could  not  do  much 
more  than  take  care  of  herself.  And  there  would  be 
a  partial  separation." 

Florence  gave  Mr.  Howard  a  look  of  relief  and 
thankfulness. 

"  I  don't  want  to  keep  her  from  doing  whatever  will 
be  best,"  said  Granny  tremulously. 

"There  are  Joe  and  Hal  to  help  along,  —  smart 
boys  both.  And  though  your  strong  and  tender  arms 
have  kept  the  little  flock  together  these  many  years, 
they  will  wear  out  by  and  by.  And,  if  any  accident 
befell  you-,  it  would  be  well  to  have  some  of  them  pro- 
vided for.  The  important  question  seems  to  be 
whether  what  Florence  can  do  at  home  will  compensate 
for  what  she  must  relinquish.  The  entire  separation 
appears  to  me  rather  unjust.  You  said  that  Mrs. 
Osgood  proposed  that  3-011  should  take  counsel  of  some 


WHICH  SHOULD  SHE  CHOOSE?  163 

one :  suppose  I  should  go  to  Seabury,  and  talk  the 
matter  over  with  her?" 

"Oh,  if  3'ou  would!"  said  Florence  beseechingly. 
She  felt  that  Mr.  Howard  was  on  her  side,  though  she 
did  not  quite  understand  why. 

"  Yes,"  rejoined  Granny,  catching  at  a  straw.  "You 
could  tell  her  how  it  is, — poor  Joe's  children,  every 
one  on  'em  so  precious  to  me.  I  never  had  much 
learnui' ;  but  I  love  'em  for  father  and  mother  both,  and 
I  can't  bear  to  think  of  their  going  away.  Ah,  well ! 
it's  a  world  full  of  trouble,  though  they've  always  been 
good  to  me,  poor  dears." 

Mrs.  Howard  turned  away  her  face  to  hide  her  tears, 
and  presently  left  them  to  get  a  slice  of  nice  fresh 
cake  and  a  glass  of  milk  for  her  guests.  Her  heart 
really  ached  for  Granny. 

So  it  was  settled  that  Mr.  Howard  would  go  over  to 
Seabury,  and  learn  all  the  particulars  of  the  offer. 
Granny  was  very  thankful  indeed.  Soon  after,  they 
picked  up  Dot,  and  started  homeward. 

".You  rather  approve  of  it,"  Mrs.  Howard  said 
to  her  husband,  watching  the  retreating  figures,  and 
smiling  at  Dot,  who  pulled  at  every  wayside  daisy- 
head. 

"  Florence  has  her  heart  set  upon  it,  that  is  plain  to 
see." 

"  And  yet  it  seems  ungrateful  in  her." 

"  It  would  be  nobler  for  her  to  stay  with  Granny,  and 


164  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

help  rear  the  others.     Yet  that  is  more  than  one  can 
reasonably  expect  of  pretty  young  girlhood." 

"  She  is  industrious,  and  has  many  excellent  points 
but  she  is  a  good  deal  ashamed  of  the  poverty." 

"  I  wonder  whether  she  would  be  any  real  assist- 
ance? She  has  a  good  deal  of  vanity,  and  love  of 
dress ;  and  no  doubt  she  would  spend  most  of  her 
money  upon  herself.  Then,  in  some  mood  of  dissatis- 
faction, she  might  marry  unwisel}7,  and  perhaps  be 
more  trouble  than  comfort  to  Granny.  If  Mrs.  Osgood 
is  in  earnest,  Florence  would  at  least  receive  an  educa- 
tion that  might  fit  her  for  a  nice  position  in  case  Mrs. 
Osgood  tired  of  her." 

"And  the  life  at  home  is  not  a  great  delight  to 
her,"  said  Mr.  Howard  with  a  smile.  "  But  whether 
I  would  like  to  give  up  my  brothers  and  sisters  "  — 

"  Florence  is  peculiar.  Ten  years  from  this  time 
she  may  love  them  better  than  she  does  now." 

There  was  a  noisy  time  in  the  "  Old  Shoe  "  that  night. 
They  were  all  so  glad  to  have  Flossy  back  again. 
Kit  played  on  imaginary  fiddles ;  Charlie  climbed  on 
her  chair,  and  once  came  tumbling  over  into  her  lap  ; 
Hal  watched  her  with  delight,  and  thought  her  prettier 
than  ever ;  Joe  whistled  and  sang,  and  told  her  all 
that  had  occurred  in  the  store,  pointing  his  stories 
with  an  occasional  somerset,  or  standing  on  his  bead 
to  Dot's  great  satisfaction. 

"Well,  that  is  really  margaret-nificent,"  declared 


WHICH  SHOULD  SHE   CHOOSE  t  165 

Joe,  flourishing  Granny's  old  apron  on  the  broomstick. 
"  Flossy,  you  are  in  luck  !  It  is  all  due  to  your  win- 
ning ways  and  curl}-  hair." 

"  If  I  go  "  —  with  a  sad  little  sigh. 

"  Go?  why,  of  course  you  will !  She'd  be  a  great 
goose  ;  would  she  not,  Granny? 

'  Washing  and  ironing  I  daily  have  to  do ; 
Baking  and  brewing  I  must  remember  too ; 
Three  small  children  to  maintain: 
Oh,  how  I  wish  I  was  single  again  1 ' " 

sang  Joe  with  irresistible  drollery. 

Granny  laughed  ;  but  she  winked  her  eyes  hard,  and 
something  suspicious  shone  in  them. 

"  It  would  be  splendid,  and  no  mistake  !  To  think 
of  having  a  piano,  and  learning  French,  and  riding  in 
&  carriage  — '  A  coach  and  four  and  a  gold  galore ! ' 
And  then  pretty  Peggy  we  should  "  — 

Joe  made  a  great  pause,  for  something  stuck  in  his 
throat. 

" But  couldn't  we  ever  see  you? "  asked  Charlie. 

An  awesome  silence  fell  over  the  little  group. 

"  If  you  could  come  and  see  us  once  in  a  while,"  said 
Hal  softly.  "  We  would  not  so  much  mind  not  going 
there  "  — 

"  I'd  run  away  and  visit  her,"  announced  daring 
Charlie.  "  I'd  hide  about  in  the  woods  until  I  saw  her 
some  day,  and  then"  — 


166  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  They'd  set  the  dog  on  3-011. 

"  Hum !  As  if  I  was  afraid  of  a  dog,  Joe  Kenneth! 
I'd  snap  my  fingers  in  his  face,  and  ask  him  what  he 
had  for  breakfast.  Then  I'd  come  back  home  and  tell 
you  all  about  it." 

" The  breakfast,  or  the  dog?" 

"  Joseph,  I  am  afraid  you  are  getting  in  your 
dotage,"  said  Charlie  with  a  shake  of  the  head.  "  But, 
if  I  started  to,  I  know  I'd  find  Florence." 

"  It  is  rather  cruel,"  said  Joe  sturdily.  "  I  don't  see 
why  she  should  want  to  take  you  entirely  away  from 
us." 

"  We  cannot  look  at  it  just  as  the  lady  does,"  said 
Hal's  mild  voice.  "  I  suppose  she  thinks,  if  she  does 
so  much  for  Flossy,  that  she  ought  to  have  a  good  deal 
of  love  in  return." 

"  She  is  ashamed  of  us  because  we  are  poor.  But 
maybe  if  we  managed  to  get  along,  and  grow  up  niceiy 
—  she  wouldn't  feel  so  —  so  particular  about  it." 

"  I  don't  believe  she  would,"  exclaimed  Florence. 
"  You  see,  people  are  so  different ;  and  —  I'm  sure  I've 
always  wanted  you  to  have  nice  manners." 

"So  you  have,  Flossy,"  declared  Joe.  "And  you 
were  meant  for  a  lady." 

Hal  and  Granny  sat  on  the  door-step  after  the  rest 
had  gone  to  bed,  crying  a  little,  and  yet  finding  some 
comfort. 

"  It  would  be  so  nice  for  Florence ! "  Hal  said  in  his 


WHICH  SHOULD  SHE  CHOOSE  1  167 

pleading  tone.  "  She  would  always  hare  to  work  here, 
and  not  learn  music  and  all  those  lovely  things.  And 
she  has  such  a  beautiful  voice,  you  know,  and  such 
pretty  hands,  and  nice,  dainty  ways  "  — 

44  But  never  to  see  her  again ! "  groaned  Granny. 

44  I  think  we  shall  see  her,  —  some  time.  Perhaps 
MJS.  Osgood  might  die:  she  is  not  very  well,  and 
Flossy  might  come  back  to  us.  Oh,  yes,  Granny,  I  do 
believe  we  shall  see  her  again ! " 

44  I've  loved  you  all  so  much ! " 

41  And  we  should  always  love  you,  even  if  we  went 
to  Japan.  Then,  if  Flossy  should  have  to  work  hard, 
and  be  unhappy,  we  might  be  sorry  that  we  kept  her 
out  of  any  thing  so  nice." 

44  I  do  believe  you  are  right,  Hal ;  only  ifs  so  hard  to 
think  of  not  seeing  her  again." 

"  I'll  try  to  make  it  up,  dear.  You  will  always  have 
me." 

The  soft  young  lips  kissed  those  that  quivered  so 
piteously,  and  smoothed  the  wet,  wrinkled  cheek. 

44  We'll  pray  about  it,  Granny.  Somehow  it  seems 
as  if  God  made  these  things  plain  after  a  while  ;  and 
it  is  in  his  hands.  He  hears  the  ravens  cry,  poor, 
hungry  little  birdies ;  and  he  must  care  for  us.  He 
will  watch  over  Florence." 

44  O  Hal,  you  talk  like  &  minister !  Maybe  yon 
will  be  one  some  day.  And  it  is  so  sweet  to  have  you, 
dear  boy  1" 


168  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  I  shall  never  be  half  good  enough,"  he  said  sol- 
emnly. 

He  crept  up  to  his  room,  but  laid  awake  a  long 
while,  watching  the  stars,  and  thinking. 

Florence  resolved  the  next  day  that  she  would  not 
go,  and  braced  herself  to  martjT-like  endurance.  But 
oh,  how  mean  and  poor  everj*  thing  appeared  by  con- 
trast !  Charlie  in  rags,  —  you  never  could  keep  Charlie 
in  wrhole  clothes  ;  Dot  playing  in  the  dirt,  for,  though 
you  washed  her  twenty  times  an  hour,  she  would  not 
stay  clean ;  the  shabb}-,  old  fashioned,  tumble-down 
cottage,  —  no,  Mrs.  Osgood  never  would  want  any  of 
these  wild  Arabs  visiting  her. 

So  she  shed  many  quiet  tears.  Perhaps  it  would  be 
best  to  make  the  sacrifice,  hard  as  it  was. 

Granny  saw  it  all.  Her  old  eyes  were  not  blind, 
and  her  heart  smote  her  for  something  akin  to  selfish- 
ness. Poor,  aching  heart. 

"Flossy,"  she  said,  over  her  heart-break,  "if  Mr. 
Howard  is  satisfied,  I  think  you  had  better  go." 

"  I  have  about  decided  to  give  it  up.  Perhaps  it  is 
my  duty  to  stay." 

Granny  scanned  the  face  eagerly,  but  found  there 
no  cheerful  and  sweet  self-denial. 

' '  I've  been  thinking  it  over  "  —  her  voice  broken 
and  quavering.  "  Perhaps  it  will  be  best.  Though  I 
don't  like  to  part  with  you,  for  your  poor  father" — 
and  Grant's  inconsequent  speech  ended  in  tears. 


WHICH  SHOULD  SHE  CHOOSE  t  169 

"  IT!  stay  home  then,  and  do  what  I  can ;  only  it 
seems  as  if  there  were  so  many  of  us,  —  and  the  place 
so  little,  and  I  can't  help  being  different,  and  lifcing 
music  and  education,  and  a  nice  orderly  house  "  — 

"  No,  you  can't  help  it.  Poor  Joe  —  your  father  I 
mean — liked  'em  all  too.  Fve  sometimes  thought  that 
maybe,  if  he'd  gone  away,  he  might  have  been  a  gen- 
tleman. He'd  a  master  voice  to  sing.  And  God  will 
watch  over  you  there,  and  not  let  you  come  to  harm. 
Oh,  dear!" 

Granny  covered  her  face  with  her  apron,  and  cried 
softly. 

Mr.  Howard  called  that  evening.  He  had  been 
quite  favorably  impressed  with  Mrs.  Osgood's  pro- 
posal. 

4i  Her  connections  are  all  reputable  people,"  he 
said ;  "  and  I  think  she  means  to  treat  Florence  like  a 
daughter.  She  can  give  her  many  advantages,  and 
she  is  strongly  attached  to  her  already.  But  she  is 
exclusive  and  aristocratic.  She  wants  Florence  all  to 
herself.  Still,  she  has  made  one  concession :  she  win 
allow  her  to  write  home  once  a  year." 

"  And  then  I  could  tell  you  every  thing  \  -  exclaimed 
Florence  overjoyed. 

"  But  she  is  resolved  not  to  permit  any  visiting. 
To  be  sure,  time  may  soften  this  condition;  yet,  if 
Florence  goes,  she  ought  to  abide  by  her  promise." 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  child  meekly. 


170  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  It  does  seem  a  remarkable  opportunity.  I  do  not 
know  as  it  would  be  wise  to  refuse." 

Ah,  if  one  could  know  what  was  for  the  best !  The 
days  flew  by  so  rapidly,  there  was  so  much  talking, 
but  never  any  coming  to  a  conclusion.  Joe  was 
loudly  on  Florence's  side.  So  was  Hal,  for  that  mat- 
ter ;  but  from  more  thoughtful  motives.  And  Granny 
was  too  conscientious  to  stand  in  the  way  of  the  child's 
advancement,  much  as  she  loved  her,  and  longed  to 
keep  her. 

Then,  on  Friday  evening  they  sat  on  the  old  stone 
doorstep,  a  sad  group,  going  over  the  subject  in  low, 
sad  tones,  the  pain  of  parting  already  in  their  voices. 
Granny's  vehemence  had  subsided.  Hal  had  Florence's 
soft  hand  in  his,  Kit's  head  was  in  her  lap,  and  Char- 
lie sat  at  her  feet. 

Should  she  go?  When  all  the  mists  and  glamor  of 
desire  cleared  away,  as  they  did  now  in  the  calm  star- 
light, with  God  watching  up  above,  she  felt  that  it 
would  be  nobler  and  truer  to  remain  with  them,  and 
share  the  poverty  and  the  trials.  For  to  have  them 
ill,  dying  perhaps,  without  looking  upon  their  dear 
faces,  with  no  last  words  or  last  kisses  to  remember, 
was  more  than  she  could  bear.  Would  it  not  seem 
selfish  to  go  off  to  luxury  and  indolence,  when  they 
must  struggle  on  with  toil  and  care  and  poverty? 

"Oh!"  she  exclaimed,  going  to  Granny's  arms, 
with  a  sob.  "  I  believe  I  cannot  leave  you  when  it 


WHICH  SHOULD  SHE  CHOOSE  t  171 

comes  to  absolute  parting.  We  have  been  happy,  in 
spite  of  the  troubles  and  wants.  I  should  miss  you  all 
BO  much!  And,  if  I  could  get  to  be  a  teacher,  I 
might  help  a  little."  - 

Granny  held  her  to  her  heart,  and  kissed  die  wet 

faffl*  flg^ffl  and  again . 

"  My  dear  darling,  God  bless  you ! "  she  said  bro- 
kenly. 

Flossy  thought  herself  a  Tery  heroic  girL  There 
was  a  great  lump  in  her  throat,  and  she  could  not 
utter  another  word.  It  was  a  born  princess  turning 
her  back  on  the  palace. 

Hal  and  Joe  eyed  each  other  inquisitively.  It  was 
the  noblest  tiling  she  aould  do,  but  would  it  be  the 
wisest? 


CHAPTER  XH. 

OUT    OF   THE    OLD    HOME-NEST. 

"OUT  then  it  all  looked  so  different  by  daylight! 
-*-*  The  old  rickety  house,  the  noisy  children,  the 
general  shabbiness,  and  the  life  of  hard  work  and  dis- 
satisfaction, stretching  out  interminably.  For,  to  the 
eyes  of  fifteen,  it  seems  a  long  way  to  fifty  ;  and  roses 
are  so  much  more  tempting  than  thorns ! 

Hal  found  her  out  in  the  garden  crying. 

"Dear  Flossy,"  he  began  tenderly,  "I  think  you 
had  better  go,  after  all.  When  the  parting  is  oA-er, 
Granny  will  be  reconciled,  and  understand  that  it  is 
for  the  best." 

"But  I  ought  to  stay  at  home  and  help,"  she 
sobbed.  "  If  I  could  do  both  "  — 

"  That  is  not  possible ; "  and  Hal  tried  to  smile  away 
the  tears  in  his  eyes. 

"  Jt  looks  so  —  so  foolish  not  to  be  able  to  make  up 
one's  miud." 

"  It  is  a  hard  case,  and  there  is  so  much  on  Mrs. 
Osgood's  side." 

"Hal,  what  would  you  do?"  and  Florence  glanced 
up  earnestly. 

172 


OUT    OF    THE    OLD    HOME-NEST.  173 

"  My  darling,  I  think  you  want  to  go,  and  that  you 
would  always  be  unhappy  and  regretful  if  you  staid. 
We  can't  help  all  our  feelings  and  wants  and  tastes ; 
and  it  seems  as  if  you  were  born  for  a  lady.  That  is 
natural  too." 

"  But  I  do  love  you  all,  and  dear  Granny  "  — 

"  "We  shall  never  doubt  that,"  he  answered  re-asbur- 
ingly.  "  We  shall  often  sit  on  the  old  doorstep,  and 
talk  about  you,  and  try  to  imagine  you  in  the  beautiful 
house,  with  the  pictures  and  the  piano,  and  all  the 
nice  things  you  will  be  learning.  It  will  be  just  lovely 
for  us  too.  Then  }-ou  can  write  every  summer." 

"  And  perhaps  I  shall  come  back  when  I  am  a 
woman ! " 

At  this  Florence  brightened  wonderfully,  but  after 
a  moment  said,  "  You  don't  think  it  very  selfish, 
Hal?" 

"  My  dear,  no,"  replied  brave  little  Hal.  "  I  am 
sure  it  would  be  a  great  trial  for  me  to  give  up  any 
thing  so  splendid." 

"  If  you  would  only  tell  Granny —  again." 

Hal  nodded ;  for  he  couldn't  say  any  more  just  then. 

Granny  wiped  the  tears  out  of  her  old  eyes  with  the 
corner  of  her  checked  apron,  and  trod  upon  the  cat, 
stretched  out  upon  the  floor,  who  added  her  pathetic 
howl  to  the  fund  of  general  sorrow. 

So  it  came  to  pass,  when  Mrs.  Osgood  made  her 
appearance,  Florence  was  quite  elegant  and  composed. 


174  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

The  lady  was  very,  very  gracious.  She  expatiated  on 
the  great  advantage  this  step  would  be  to  Florence, 
the  pleasure  to  her,  and  the  relief  to  Granny  to  know 
that  one  of  her  flock  was  provided  for.  Of  course, 
she  understood  it  was  hard  to  part  with  her ;  but 
they  had  so  many  left,  that  in  a  little  while  they  would 
hardly  miss  her.  Then  they  would  hear  about  her, 
and  no  doubt  come  to  rejoice  in  her  good  fortune. 

Indeed,  by  the  time  Mr.  Howard  arrived,  she  had 
talked  them  into  quite  a  reasonable  frame  of  mind. 
She  promised  to  treat  her  like  a  daughter,  educate  her 
handsomely;  so  that,  in  case  of  her  death,  Florence 
would  be  able  to  take  care  of  herself.  If,  at  the  end 
of  the  first  year,  she  should  feel  unwilling  to  remain, 
Mrs.  Osgood  would  not  oppose  her  return. 

Granny  was  calm,  but  very  grave,  while  these  pre- 
liminaries were  being  discussed.  Hal  kept  swallowing 
over  great  sobs  that  wrenched  his  heart  at  every 
breath.  The  agreement  was  concluded  and  signed. 

"Now,  my  dear,  put  on  your  hat,"  said  Mrs.  Osgood 
in  her  sweetest  tone.  "  Brief  partings  are  the  kindest ; 
are  they  not,  Mr.  Howard?  I  am  much  obliged  for 
your  assistance  in  this  matter ;  and  you  must  permit 
me  to  offer  you  a  small  donation  for  your  pretty  little 
church." 

Granny's  tears  streamed  afresh  ;  but  Hal  managed 
her  with  delicate  tenderness.  Florence  kissed  them 
all  many  times.  Dot  wanted  to  go  in  the  "  boofer 


OUT  OF  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST.  175 

wagon ;"  while  Kit  and  Charlie  looked  on,  with  tearful, 
wondering  eyes,  not  half  understanding  the  importance 
of  the  step. 

Then  —  she  was  driving  away.  One  lasl ,  long  look. 
Was  that  the  waving  of  her  pretty  white  hand?  Their 
eyes  were  too  dim  to  see. 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  she  will  come  back  to  the  old 
house  some  time,"  said  Hal,  breaking  the  sad  silence. 

Granny  turned  away,  and  shut  herself  in  the  best 
room.  For  a  long  while  they  heard  nothing  of  her. 
But  God  was  listening  to  the  heart-broken  prayer, 
which  he  answered  in  his  own  time  and  his  own  way . 

"  So  Flossy*s  gone ! "  exclaimed  Joe  soberly  that 
night.  "  I  can't  make  it  seem  a  bit  real.  Air-castles 
don't  generally  turn  into  the  substantial.  After  the 
king's  ball  I  guess  she  will  come  home  in  glass 
slippers,  and  we  will  have  her  giving  us  loads  of  good 
advice.  It  is  so  sure  to  be  true,  Granny,  that  we  can 
afford  to  take  a  little  comfort  meanwhile." 

Granny  did  not  laugh  as  usual.  Kit  chewed  his 
thumb  vigorously,  and  saw  piles  of  violins  in  the 
distance. 

But  they  confessed  to  being  very  lonesome  on  Sun- 
day. Charlie  declined  wearing  Flossy*s  second-best 
hat ;  for  she  insisted  that  she  "  felt  it  in  her  bones  "  that 
Florence  would  return,  which  Joe  declared  was  in- 
cipient rheumatism,  and  that  she  must  take  a  steam- 
bath  over  the  spout  of  the  tea-kettle.  Yet  secretly  in 


176  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

his  heart  he  had  greater  faith  in  the  mythical  sea- 
captain  who  was  to  take  him  off  with  flying  colors. 

About  a  month  afterwards  they  received  a  letter 
from  Mrs.  Osgood.  Joe  displayed  the  handsome 
monogram  in  great  triumph,  and  begged  Mr.  Terry  to 
let  him  run  home  with  it  at  noon.  They  all  crowded 
round  him  with  eager  eyes. 

"  It's  Granny's  letter,  "  he  said,  handing  it  to  her. 

"  Read  it,  Hal,"  she  rejoined  tremulously. 

Mrs.  Osgood  gave  a  delightful  account  of  Florence  ; 
declaring  that  she  already  loved  her  as  a  mother,  and, 
the  homesickness  being  over,  she  was  studying  industri- 
ously. There  was  no  doubt  but  that  she  would  make 
a  very  fine  musician ;  and  it  was  extremely  fortunate 
that  such  talent  could  be  rescued  in  time  to  make  the 
most  of  it.  Then  Florence  added  a  few  words,  to  say 
that  she  was  very  happy,  and  that  it  seemed  like  fairy- 
land, every  thing  was  so  beautiful.  She  enclosed  a 
gift  for  them  all,  and  said  good-by  until  next  year. 

They  felt  then  how  surely  they  were  divided ;  yet 
they  all  rejoiced  in  Flossy's  good  fortune.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Howard  were  very  kind ;  but  I  think  Hal's  tender 
love  did  more  towards  comforting  Granny  than  all  the 
rest.  She  kept  telling  herself  that  it  was  foolish  to 
grieve ;  yet  there  was  a  dumb  ache  way  down  in  the 
poor  old  heart,  an  empty  corner  where  one  birdling 
had  flown  out  of  the  home-nest. 

The  affair  had  created  quite  an  excitement  in  Madi 


OUT  OF  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST.  177 

son.  Joe  pictured  it  in  the  most  gorgeous  style,  and 
made  Mrs.  Osgood  an  actual  fairy  godmother.  Mrs. 
Van  AVyck,  who  still  held  a  little  grudge  against  her, 
insisted  that  it  was  not  half  as  grand  as  the  Kenneths 
represented  it. 

44  Now,  Mr.  Howard,"  she  said  at  one  of  the  parson- 
age gatherings,  "is  it  really  true?  Did  this  woman 
adopt  that  flyaway  Kenneth  girl,  or  only  take  her  as  a 
BOrt  of  servant?  And  is  she  so  very  rich?  " 

**  Mrs.  Osgood  is  a  lady  of  means  and  position,  and 
is  connected  with  some  of  the  most  reliable  people  in 
New  York.  She  has  legally  adopted  Florence,  and  I 
was  a  witness  to  the  agreement.  It  certainly  was  a 
rather  remarkable  event." 

44  Well,  she's  nothing  but  a  bunch  of  vanity,  anyhow. 
She'll  make  one  of  the  high-flyers,  without  a  grain  of 
sense,  and  I  dare  say  elope  with  the  coachman.  I 
wish  the  woman  joy  of  her  bargain ; "  and  Mrs.  Van 
Wyck  set  her  cap-streamers  in  violent  motion. 

Autumn  came  on  apace.  Poor  Granny  w  ^s  grievous- 
ly perplexed  when  she  entered  the  clothing-campaign. 
Florence's  fertile  brain  and  handy  fingers  were  sorely 
missed.  Granny  did  her  best ;  but  the  tasty  touches 
the  child  was  wont  to  add,  that  transformed  the  com- 
monest garb  into  certain  prettiness,  were  kicking  now. 
Still,  Charlie  thought  it  a  godsend  to  have  so  many 
clothes  all  at  once,  having  fallen  heir  to  Flossy's  dis- 
carded heritage. 
12 


178  THERE'S    NO    PLACE     LIKE    HOME. 

"Granny!"  exclaimed  Hal,  rushing  in  breathless 
one  afternoon,  "  Mr.  Kinsey  says  he  will  take  all  my 
chickens  to  market !  Isn't  that  splendid  ?  He  is  going 
on  Friday,  and  again  next  Tuesday ;  and  he  showed  me 
how  to  make  a  crate  to  pack  them  in.  Now  is  the 
very  time,  he  says." 

"  But  we'll  have  to  kill  'em,  Hal !  "  exclaimed  Gran- 
ny aghast. 

"To  be  sure:  that's  the  hard  part  of  it,  isn't  it;" 
and  Hal  looked  sober. 

"They  seem  a'most  like  human  beings.  They  pat- 
ter round  after  Dot,  and  talk  to  her  in  their  queer  fash- 
ion, and  eat  out  of  her  hand.  But,  then,  we  couldn't 
keep  them  all  through  the  winter." 

"We  shall  save  the  pets.  There  are  some  that  I 
could  not  spare.  But  you  must  not  grow  chicken- 
hearted,  Granny  ; "  and  he  laughed  softly  at  her. 

"  Deary  me !  Somehow  I  can't  bear  to  part  with 
any  thing  any  more.  What  a  foolish  old  cretur !  " 

"  The  dearest  old  creature  in  the  world  !  "  and  Hal 
kissed  her.  I  wouldn't  have  you  changed  a  mite,  ex- 
cept, that,  when  yon  were  almost  a  hundred,  I'd  like 
to  set  you  back  so  that  we  could  keep  you  always." 

"  I  sha'n't  be  worth  it,  Hal ;  "  arid  she  shook  her 
head. 

"  I  shall  have  to  stay  home  from  school  on  Tuesday. 
I  am  quite  anxious  to  know  what  our  fortune  will  be, 
and  whether  it  has  paid." 


OUT  OF  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST.  179 

For  Hal  had  gone  back  to  school,  as  there  seemed 
no  business  opening  for  him.  Mr.  Terry  had  raised 
Joe's  wages ;  and,  one  way  and  another,  they  managed 
to  get  along  quite  comfortably.  Hal  tried  to  make  up 
for  the  absence  of  Florence,  and  comforted  Granny  in 
many  tender,  girlish  ways.  He  would  pull  her  cap 
straight,  and  find  her  glasses  and  her  thimble,  two 
things  that  were  forever  going  astray.  Then  he  bor- 
rowed books  from  one  and  another  to  read  aloud  even- 
ings ;  and,  though  Granny  sat  in  the  chimney-corner  and 
nodded,  she  always  declared  that  it  was  the  loveliest 
thing  in  the  world,  and  that  she  didn't  believe  but  Hal 
would  write  a  book  some  day  himself,  he  was  so 
powerful  fond  of  them. 

To  Charlie  and  Kit  this  was  a  great  enjoyment.  In- 
ieed,  it  seemed  as  if  in  most  things  they  listened  more 
j-eadilj-  than  they  ever  had  to  Florence.  Dear,  sweet- 
souled  Hal !  Your  uses  and  duties  in  the  world  were 
manifold.  And  yet  it  tries  our  faith  to  see  such  fine 
gold  dropped  into  the  crucible.  Is  it  those  whom  the 
Lord  loveth? 

They  had  a  great  time  on  Thursday.  Joe  was  up 
early  in  the  morning,  as  he  thought  there  was  some 
fiin  in  m:\king  an  onslaught  upon  the  army  of  chickens  ; 
so  when  Hal  and  Granny  stepped  over  the  threshold, 
they  saw  a  great  pile  of  decapitated  fowls. 

"Why,  Hal,  you'll  make  a  mint  of  money!"  ex- 
claimed Joe.  "  I  suppose  you  mean  to  put  it  in  gov- 
ernment bonds." 


180  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Hal  only  laughed. 

But  he  and  Granny  were  busy  as  bees  all  day 
About  four  o'clock  Mr.  Kinsey  came  over  to  see  how 
the  packing  progressed. 

"There  are  just  two  dozen,"  said  Hal;  "and  I 
shall  have  two  dozen  again  next  week." 

"They're  beauties  too!  Why,  I  believe  they  go 
ahead  of  mine.  You've  plucked  them  nicely.  Poul- 
try's pretty  high  this  year  ;  retailing  at  twenty-five  and 
twenty-eight,  I  heard." 

They  weighed  them,  and  then  laid  them  snugty  in  tLe 
crate  ;  plump  and  yellow,  looking  almost  good  enough 
to  eat  without  a  pinch  of  salt,  Mr.  Kinsey  said. 

"  Now  I  shall  send  them  all  over  to  the  station,  and 
they'll  go  through  in  the  freight-train.  Jim  will  soon 
be  here  with  the  wagon." 

Joe  and  Hal  counted  up  the  possible  profit  that 
evening.  They  had  raised,  with  all  their  broods,  sixty- 
five  chickens.  The  actual  outlay  for  food  had  been 
seventeen  dollars  ;  and  Hal  had  sold  eggs  to  the  value 
of  two  dollars  and  a  half. 

"  It's  better  than  keeping  store,  I  do  believe ! " 
ejaculated  Joe.  "  Hal,  you  have  a  genius  for  farm- 
ing." 

"  Does  raising  chickens  prove  it?" 

"  If  a  hundred  of  corn -meal  costs  two  fifty,  what 
will  the  biggest  chanticleer  in  the  lot  come  'GO  ?  There'* 
ft  question  for  you,  Granny." 


OUT  OF  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST.  181 

"  Why,  it  would  depend  on  —  how  much  he  weighed," 
said  Granny  cautiously. 

"  Oh,  no !  it  would  depend  on  how  you  cooked  him. 
In  my  kitchen  he'd  come  to  pot-pie,  according  to  the 
double  rule  of  a  good  hot  fire." 

"You  won't  sell  'em  all,  Hal?"  said  Charlie  anx- 
iously. 

"  No :  we  will  have  a  little  Thanksgiving  for  our- 
selves." 

Granny  sighed.  They  all  knew  of  whom  she  was 
thinking,  —  a  sweet,  fair  face  dropped  out  of  the 
circle.  Now  that  Flossy  was  gone,  they  remembered 
only  her  pleasant  qualities ;  and  it  seemed  as  if  Joe 
did  not  care  half  so  much  for  making  a  noise  when 
she  was  not  here  to  be  teased. 

Mr.  Kinsey  did  not  return  until  Saturday,  but  he 
came  over  with  a  smiling  face. 

"  Royal  luck  for  you,  Hal !  "  he  said  in  his  hearty 
tone.  "  I've  half  a  mind  to  make  you  guess,  and 
keep  all  that  is  over." 

"But  I  might  guess  high; "and  a  bright  smile 
brought  sunshine  into  the  boy's  face. 

"  Try  it,  then." 

"  Thirty  dollars,"  ventured  Hal,  rather  hesitatingly. 
"  Though  I  don't  believe  it  is  as  much  as  that." 

"  Thirty-two  dollars ;  and  the  same  %iran  has  spoken 
for  your  next  lot.  They  were  about  the  handsomest 
chickens  in  the  market." 

16 


182  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Oh!  isn't  that  splendid?"  said  Hal.  "Why,  I 
can  hardly  believe  it ! " 

"There's  the  money.  I've  always  observed  that 
there's  no  eye-salve  like  money ; "  and  Mr.  Kinsey 
laughed. 

"  You  ought  to  have  something  for  your  trouble." 

"  No,  my  fine  little  fellow.  I  shall  :>nly  take  out 
the  freight.  I'm  glad  to  see  you  so  energetic  ;  and  I 
do  hope  you  will  prosper  as  well  in  every  thing  you 
undertake." 

Hal  thanked  Mr.  Kinsey  again  and  again,  and  in- 
sisted that  he  should  come  over  and  do  some  work  for 
the  farmer ;  but  that  gentleman  only  laughed. 

"  Have  your  second  lot  ready  on  Tuesday  evening," 
said  he,  as  he  wished  them  good-day. 

The  next  was  still  more  of  a  success,  for  they  net- 
ted thirty-four  dollars.  Hal  was  overjoyed. 

"  That  certainly  is  '  bully  ! '  our  dear  Flossy  to  the 
Contrary,"  declared  Joe.  "  Whj',  I'm  so  glad  that  I 
could  stand  on  my  head  or  the  tip  of  my  little  finger. 
What  will  you  do  with  it  all  ?  Granny,  was  there  ever 
so  much  money  in  this  old  house?  It's  lucky  that  I 
have  a  pistol  to  keep  guard." 

Granny  smiled,  but  a  tear  crept  to  the  corner  of 
her  eye. 

"  Now  let  us  reckon  it  all  up,"  said  Hal.  "  Here 
is  my  book." 

Eveiy  item  had  been  put  down  in  the  most  system- 


OUT  OF  THE   OLD  HOME-NEST.  183 

dtic  manner.  They  made  a  list  of  the  expenses,  and 
added  the  column,  then  subtracted  it  from  the  whole 
Bum. 

"  Forty-seven  dollars  !  " 

"  All  that  clear !  "  asked  Granny  in  amaze. 

"  Yes.     Isn't  it  wonderful  ?  " 

Joe  could  hold  in  no  longer ;  but  took  a  tour  over 
the  chairs,  as  if  they  had  been  a  part  of  the  flying  tra- 
peze. Hal's  eyes  were  as  large  as  saucers,  —  small 
ones. 

"  I  wouldn't  a'  believed  it !  But  you've  been  very 
ekernomical,  Hal,  and  used  every  thing,  and  raised  so 
much  corn  "  — 

"And  the  buckwheat-field  was  so  nice  for  them! 
If  we  can  only  keep  them  comfortable  through  the 
winter,  and  have  them  lay  lots  of  eggs ! " 

"  It's  astonishing  how  contrary  they  are  when  eggs 
are  scarce,"  said  Joe  gravely.  "  What  do  you  sup- 
pose is  the  reason,  Charlie?  " 

"  Forty-seven  dollars  !  "  said  Charlie,  loftily  ignor- 
ing the  last  remark. 

"  Enough  to  buy  me  a  fiddle,"  Kit  remarked. 

"  It  will  have  to  buy  a  good  many  things,"  said 
Hal.  "  I  am  so  very,  very  thankful  for  it." 

Granny  insisted  that  Hal  should  have  a  suit  of 
clothes,  and  finally  persuaded  him  into  buying  a  com- 
plete outfit.  That  took  twenty-three  dollars.  Then 
Borne  boots  for  Kit,  shoes  for  Charley,  a  pretty  dress 


184  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

for  Dot,  a  barrel  of  flour,  and  there  was  very  little  ol 
it  left. 

"  But  it  was  really  magnificent !  "  said  Hal  with  a 
sigh  of  pleasure.  "  I  shall  try  it  again  next  year,  if 
you  don't  mind  the  trouble,  Granny," 

Granny  said  that  she  should  not. 

Their  Christmas  festival  was  quiet  compared  to  the 
last  one.  Flossy  had  helped  make  them  gay  then, 
and  there  had  been  the  wonderful  shoe.  Would  any 
thing  ever  be  quite  as  brilliant  again  ? 

"  It  almost  seems  as  if  Flossy  was  dead,  doesn't  it?  " 
Hal  said  softly  to  granny.  "  And  yet  I  suppose  she 
has  had  lots  of  presents,  and  is  —  very  —  happy." 

"  God  keep  her  safely,"  answered  Granny. 

Before  spring  some  changes  came  to  Madison. 
Grandmother  Kinsey  died,  having  reached  a  good  old 
age ;  and  Mr.  Kinsey  resolved  to  put  his  pet  project 
into  execution,  —  removing  to  the  "West,  and  farming 
on  a  large  scale.  Everybody  was  very  sorry  to  have 
them  go.  It  seemed  to  Granny  as  if  she  were  losing 
her  best  friend.  Ah  !  by  and  by  the  world  would  look 
very  wide  and  desolate. 

But  the  Kenneths  had  a  little  recompense  for  their 
loss.  In  casting  about  for  a  parting  gift  to  Hal,  for- 
tune seemed  to  put  an  excellent  one  right  in  his  way. 
In  having  some  dealings  with  Farmer  Peters,  he  took 
the  small  piece  of  land  that  Hal  had  made  so  profit- 
able, and  deeded  it  to  the  bo}. 


OUT  OF  THE   OLD  HOME-NEST.  185 

"  It  is  not  much,"  he  said  ;  "  but  it  may  help  along 
a  little.  I  only  wish  you  were  going  out  West  with 
me.  That's  the  place  for  boj's ! " 

Hal  almost  wished  that  he  could. 

"But  you  will  come  and  visit  us  some  day,  I  know. 
You  are  a  brave,  ambitious  little  chap,  and  deserve  to 
prosper.  I  hope  you  will,  indeed." 

Hal  was  a  good  deal  astonished,  and  wonderfully 
thankful  for  his  gift.  T<j  think  of  being  actual  owner 
of  some  land ! 

"  You  beat  the  Dutch  for  luck,  Hal !  I  never  did 
see  any  thing  like  it,"  was  Joe's  comment. 

All  Madison  bewailed  the  Kinseys.  They  were 
some  of  the  oldest  settlers,  and  it  was  like  removing  a 
landmark.  Mrs.  Kinsey  did  not  forget  Granny,  but 
sent  her  many  useful  articles  in  the  way  of  old  clothes, 
and  some  furniture  that  would  have  brought  but  a 
trifle  at  auction,  yet  served  to  quite  renovate  the  little 
cottage.  But  when  Granny  tried  to  thank  her  kind 
friend,  Mrs.  Kinsey  said,  — 

"I've  always  been  glad  to  do  what  I  could;  for 
when  I  thought  of  you  at  your  age,  taking  charge  of 
all  those  little  ones,  it  seemed  as  if  every  one  ought  to 
stand  by  you.  And  they  will  be  a  comfort  to  you,  I 
know.  God  will  not  let  you  go  without  some  reward." 

Granny  wiped  the  tears  from  her  eyes,  and  answered 
brokenly.  One  and  another  were  dropping  out  of  her 
world. 


186  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

She  had  hardly  recovered  from  this  blow  when  one 
night  Joe  came  home  in  high  glee. 

"  The  luck's  changed,  Hal ! "  he  said  in  his  laughing, 
breezy  voice.  "  Just  guess  "  — 

"  More  wages?" 

"  No  indeed !  Better  still,  a  great  sight.  If  you 
have  tears,  please  wring  out  your  pocket-hand&erc/iers, 
and  prepare  to  shed  'em  !  Slightly  altered  from  Shak- 
epeare.  I'm  going  to  sea  !  Hip,  hip,  hurrah  !  " 

Joe  swung  his  old  hat  so  hard  that  crown  and  brim 
parted,  the  crown  landing  on  the  mantle-piece. 

"  Couldn't  have  done  better  if  I'd  tried.  I'm  a 
dead  shot,  for  certain ! " 

"  Going  to  sea?" 

Granny  came  out  at  that. 

"Yes.  A  cousin  of  Mr.  Terry's  has  been  visiting 
there ;  and  we  have  struck  up  a  friendship  and  a  bar- 
gain, —  Cap'n  Burton.  He  owns  a  sloop  that  goes  to 
Albany  and  around,  and  wants  a  boy  who  can  keep 
books  a  little,  and  all  that.  It's  just  as  jolly  as  a 
lark !  " 

It  was  plain  to  be  seen  that  Joe  no  longer  stood  in 
awe  of  Florence's  ladjiike  reprimands. 

Granny's  eyes  grew  larger  and  larger.  She  fairly 
clutched  Joe's  arm  as  she  gasped,  — 

"  Going  —  to  sea!  " 

"  Yes,  Granny.  Don't  get  solemn  new,  as  if  you 
thought  a  shark  would  devour  me  the  first  thing,  —  body 


OUT  OF  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST.  187 

and  boots.  You  know  it  always  was  my  idea,  and 
this  is  real  splendid!  And  there's  no  more  danger 
than  driving  Mr.  Terry's  grocery-wagon." 

"  But  you  might  get  drownded,"  Granny  said  awe- 
somely. 

"  Tell  you  what  Til  do,  Granny.  Tie  a  rope  to  my 
leg,  and  fasten  it  to  the  mast.  Then  you  know,  if  I  fall 
overboard,  I  can  haul  in.  There  isn't  a  bit  of  danger. 
"Why,  Capt.  Burton's  been  all  his  life.  There,  don't 
cry.  You  are  the  dearest  old  grandmother  that  ever 
was ;  but  we  can't  stay  under  your  wing  forever." 

"You  have  not  made  your  bargain?"  asked  Hal, 
surprised  that  another  dream  should  come  true. 

"Well,  —  almost.  He's  coming  down  here  in  the 
morning  to  have  a  talk  with  Granny.  He  will  give  me 
ten  dollars  a  month  and  found,  which  mean,  tea  and 
fish  and  baccy." 

"  Oh ! "  said  Hal,  "  you  won't  chew  tobacco  ?  " 

"  Sailors  always  do.  But  ten  dollars  a  month  is 
better  than  eight,  and  my  board  thrown  in.  I'm  going, 
Granny/* 

Granny  sighed.  It  was  useless  to  endeavor  to  talk 
J'_<e  out  of  his  project ;  and  so  she  might  as  well  keep 


Capt.  Burton  came  the  next  morning.  He  had 
taken  a  wonderful  fancy  to  Joe,  and  was  very  anxious 
to  engage  him. 

«  He's  just  the  kind  of  lad  that  I  need,"  exclaimed 


188  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

the  captain.  "  I  svant  some  one  who  is  handy,  and 
quick  in  figgers  ;  who  can  keep  my  accounts  for  me,  as 
my  eyes  are  getting  rather  poor  ;  and  do  arrants  ;  and 
I've  taken  a  'mazing  liking  to  him.  I'll  keep  a  good 
watch  over  him ;  and  he  can  come  home  once  in  a 
while/' 

"  How  far  do  you  go? "  asked  Granny. 

"  To  Albany,  mostly.  Now  and  then  I  take  a  trip 
around  Long  Island,  or  up  the  Sound.  Your  boy  has 
taken  a  'mazing  fancy  to  the  sea  ;  and  he  will  never  be 
satisfied  until  he's  had  a  taste  of  salt  water,  in  my 
'pinion." 

"  No,  that  I  won't ! "  declared  Joe  stoutly. 

"We  haul  off  in  the  winter  'bout  three  months; 
which'll  give  him  a  holiday.  Sence  he  hankers  after 
it  so,  you  better  consent,  I  think.  Cousin  Terry  will 
tell  you  that  I  ain't  a  hard  master." 

What  could  Granny  say?  Nothing  but  cry  a  little, 
look  up  Joe's  clothes,  and  kiss  him  a  hundred  times,  01 
more,  after  the  fashion  of  Mrs.  Malloy  and  her  dear 
Pat.  Joe  was  so  delighted,  that  he  could  hardly  "  hold 
in  his  skin,"  as  he  said  to  Kit,  who  sagely  advised  him 
not  to  get  into  a  cast-iron  ^weat,  —  Kit's  chronic  fear 
on  remarkable  occasions. 

There  was  not  much  time  for  consideration.  In  two 
days  Joe  was  off,  bag  and  baggage,  whistling,  "  The 
girl  I  left  behind  me." 

And  so  the  gay  household  thinned  out.  They  missed 


OUT  OF  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST.  189 

Joe  terribly.  To  be  sure,  vacation  commenced  after  a 
while ;  and  Kit  and  Charlie  were  in  mischief  con- 
tinually, or  in  rags :  Granny  hardly  knew  which  was 
worse. 

They  had  some  glowing  letters  from  Joe,  who  didn't 
believe  there  was  any  thing  finer  in  Europe  than  New 
York  and  the  Hudson  River.  Capt.  Burton  was  a 
"jolly  old  tar; "  and  nautical  phrases  were  sprinkled 
about  thick  as  blackberries. 

Mr.  Terry  offered  the  place  in  the  store  to  Hal,  who 
consulted  awhile  with  Granny. 

"  I  think  I  could  make  as  much  money  by  working 
round,  and  raising  chickens,  and  all  that ;  and  then  I 
could  go  to  school.  I  believe  I  should  like  it  better ; 
and  there  is  so  much  that  I  want  to  learn ! " 

"  But  you  know  a  master  sight  now,  Hal,"  said 
Granny  in  admiration. 

So  the  proposal  was  very  kindly  declined. 

Charlie  thought  Fourth  of  July  was  "awful  dull" 
this  year.  She  lamented  Joe  loudly. 

"  If  she  had  only  been  a  oo/  i  "  said  Hal  regretfully. 

The  latter  part  of  July,  Joe  came  home  for  a  flying 
visit.  It  seemed  as  if  he  had  grown  taller  in  this 
brief  while.  His  curly  hair  had  been  cropped  close ; 
and  he  was  brown  as  an  Indian.  Charlie  made  herself 
a  perpetual  interrogation-point ;  and  Joe  told  her  the 
most  marvellous  yarns  that  ever  were  invented.  She 
soon  learned  every  thing  about  the  sloop,  and 


190  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

wished  that  she  could  be  a  sailor,  but  finally  comfoit- 
ed  herself  by  thinking  that  she  migJit  marry  a  sea- 
captain. 

Then,  to  crown  all,  they  had  a  letter  from  Florence. 
It  was  written  on  tinted  paper,  and  had  a  beautiful 
monogram  in  green  and  gold.  She  was  very  well, 
very  happy ;  had  grown  a  little  taller  than  Mrs.  Osgood ; 
and  was  studying  every  thing.  She  could  play  quite 
well,  and  read  French,  and  went  to  dancing-school, 
besides  lovely  little  parties.  Then  the  house  was  so 
elegant !  She  had  never  been  homesick  at  all. 

Perhaps  she  thought  it  would  be  wrong  to  wish  to 
see  them  ;  for  that  was  never  once  expressed. 

"  But  I  am  glad  she  is  happy,"  said  Granny,  striv- 
ing to  be  heroic. 


CHAPTER  XTT. 
JOB'S  lUKTUMK. 

^  1  AL'S  chickens  were  a  success  again,  though  it  cost 
•*" *-  more  for  him  to  get  them  to  market  this  fiJL 
And,  since  eggs  seemed  to  be  a  very  profitable  specula- 
tion, they  concluded  to  winter  over  quite  a  number, 
mostly  spring  broods.  Hal  enlarged  their  boose ;  as  he 
had  a  wonderful  gift.  Granny  declared,  for  building. 
And  a  very  nice  place  it  was,  I  can  assure  you. 

Granny  still  wove  rag-carpets  and  the  like,  and  now 
and  then  helped  a  neighbor  at  house-cleaning ;  but  she 
had  not  worked  out  so  much  since  the  Kinseys  wo* 
away.  It  troubled  Hal  to  have  her  do  it  at  all. 

"  When  I  get  a  little  older,  you  never  shall,  Gran- 
ny," he  would  say,  giving  her  a  fond  hug ;  and  she 
would  answer,  — 

"  You're  a  great  blessing,  Hal.  Whatever  should  1 
have  done  without  you? " 

Dot  grew  nicely,  though  she  was  still  "  small  for  her 
s:ze."  Joe  said.  But  now  she  kept  quite  well ;  and  she 
was  as  fair  as  a  lily,  with  tiny  golden  curls  that  never 
seemed  to  grow  long.  There  the  resemblance  to 

191 


192  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Florence  ceased.  She  was  such  an  odd,  old-fashioned 
little  thing !  and  reminded  Hal  more  of  Granny  thar 
any  one  else. 

"  It  would  be  sweet  to  have  her  a  baby  always,  now 
that  she  is  well,  and  doesn't  cry  all  the  time,"  said 
Hal.  "  I'm  sorry  to  have  her  lose  all  her  crooked  baby 
words.  Joe  use  to  laugh  so  over  '  pety  poket,'  and 
'  poky  hontis, '  and  '  umbebella  tause  it  wained.'  Dear, 
dear !  shall  we  ever  have  such  nice,  gay  times  again, 
Granny,  when  there  wasn't  any  thing  but  mush  and 
molasses  for  supper,  and  a  crowd  of  hungry  children  ?  " 

Granny  sighed  at  the  remembrance. 

"  And  yet  it  is  a  comfort  to  grow  up,  and  be  able  to 
do  something  for  you." 

Hal  studied  hard,  and  spent  much  of  his  leisure  time 
in  reading.  Charlie  was  wilder  than  a  hawk,  combin- 
ing Joe's  love  of  mischief  with  perfect  lawlessness. 
Mr.  Fielder  tried  every  motive  of  reward,  and  every 
method  of  punishment ;  and  Charlie  cried  one  moment, 
hut  laughed  the  next,  and,  what  was  infinitely  more  ag- 
gravating, made  all  the  children  laugh.  If  ever}'  thing 
else  failed  her,  she  could  draw  funny  faces  on  her 
slate,  that  set  every  one  in  a  titter.  And  then  she 
climbed  trees,  jumped  fences,  or  perched  herself  on  a 
post,  and  made  Fourth-of-July  orations.  She  could 
talk  Irish  with  a  true  national  screech  and  whoop,  or 
Broken  German  as  if  she  had  just  come  over  ;  she  could 
aiake  "  pigs  under  the  gate,"  cats  in  a  terrible  combat, 


JOE'S  FORTUNE.  193 

and  a  litter  of  puppies  under  your  feet  that  would 
absolutely  frighten  you. 

Nobody  could  see  what  Granny  Kenneth  would  do 
with  Charlie.  Florence,  now,  had  been  a  lady ;  but 
Charlie  was  a  regular  wild  Indian.  She  could  work 
like  a  Trojan,  but  she  did  not  like  it ;  and  as  for  sewing 
—  well,  there  was  no  word  that  could  describe  the  per- 
formance. With  all  her  faults,  she  had  a  warm,  ten- 
der side  to  her  character.  She  fought  Kit's  battles, 
and  always  came  off  triumphant.  She  was  never  cruel 
to  any  thing  smaller  and  weaker  than  herself ;  and  I 
think  no  one  ever  could  remember  her  telling  a  lie. 
But  as  Dot  said  in  her  sage  way,  with  a  solemn  shake 
of  the  head,  — 

"  She  was  the  worstest  child  we  had." 

Joe  came  home  the  latter  part  of  December  as  im- 
portant as  the  Great  Mogul  himself.  We  had  been 
selling  out  the  old  craft,  and  were  bargaining  for  a 
regular  little  beauty,  —  a  trading- vessel  to  make  trips 
between  New  York  and  the  West  Indies,  Cuba,  and  all 
those  places.  The  boys  opened  their  eyes  at  that. 
Joe  Kenneth  actually  going  to  Havana,  to  be  feasted 
continually  upon  oranges,  figs,  cocoanuts,  and  bananas ! 

Why,  it  was  wonderful !  incredible !  There  teas 
nothing  like  being  a  sailor,  and  travelling  all  over  the 
world.  Joe  took  upon  himself  the  tallest  kind  of  airs, 
confused  the  boys  with  his  flying-jib  and  spanker  and 
mlzzen-mast  and  capstan  and  larboard  and  star- 
17 


194  THERE'S    NO    PLACE     LIKE    HOME, 

board,  and  forty  other  things  that  he  knew  all  about, 
and  they  didn't.  And  then  the  frolics  and  tricks,  the 
sailors'  yarns,  the  storms  and  dangers,  held  them  all 
spell-bound.  Indeed,  I  don't  believe  Joe  ever  knew  so 
much  again  in  all  his  life. 

Capt.  Burton  followed  him  about  a  week  later. 
"The  Morning  Star  "had  been  purchased,  and  was 
being  repaired  a  little. 

The  captain's  principal  errand  in  Madison  was  to  see 
Granny  Kenneth. 

"  Joe  and  me  gets  along  tip-top,"  he  said.  "  He's 
a  sailor  all  over :  there  isn't  a  hair  in  his  head  but 
loves  salt  water.  And  I'm  as  glad  to  have  him  as  he 
is  to  go ;  but,  as  we  were  making  a  new  bargain  all 
round,  it  wouldn't  'a  been  the  thing  not  to  come  here 
and  have  a  talk  with  3"ou." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Granny  with  a  bob  of  her  curls, 
though  for  her  life  she  could  not  have  told  to  what  she 
was  assenting. 

"  It's  just  here,  }-ou  see.  If  the  lad  means  to  be  a 
sailor,  he  can't  have  a  much  better  chance.  He's 
smart  and  quick  in  figgers,  which  suits  me  to  a  shaving  ; 
and  I'd  like  to  take  him  for  the  next  two  years.  I'll 
give  twelve  dollars  a  month,  beginning  now,  and  look 
after  him  as  if  he'd  a  been  my  own  son.  I  had  a  lad 
once,  —  about  like  htm.  It  all  came  back  when  I  was 
at  Cousin  Terry's  last  winter,  watching  him,  so  full  of 
pranks  and  tricks,  and  with  a  smile  and  a  pleasant 


JOE'S  FORTUNE.  195 

word  for  everybody.  My  Dick  was  jest  so.  I  took 
him  on  a  trip  with  me,  for  he  had  a  hankerin'  after  the 
sea ;  but  his  poor  mother  she  most  grieved  herself 
sick.  There  wa'n't  no  gals  to  comfort  her.  He  was  all 
we  had.  So  I  left  him  home  next  time.  I  can  jest 
see  him,  with  the  tears  shining  in  his  eyes,  and  a'  chok- 
ing over  his  good-by ;  and  then  how  he  turned  round 
and  put  his  face  right  between  his  mother's  neck  and 
shoulder,  so's  I  shouldn't  see  him  cry.  Well,  when  I 
came  back  my  poor  Dick  was  dead  and  buried." 

Granny  gave  a  little  sob,  and  Capt.  Burton  drew  the 
back  of  his  hand  across  his  eyes. 

"  Yes,  'twas  a  fever.  His  poor  mother  was  'most 
crazy.  So  I  tried  to  comfort  her.  *  Sweetheart,'  said 
I,  '  God  is  all  over,  on  the  sea  as  well  as  the  land,  and 
he's  brought  our  Dick  into  a  better  port,  though  we 
can't  understand  it  jest  now  in  our  grief.  If  we  didn't 
know  there  was  a  wiser  hand  than  ours  in  it,  we  couldn't 
bear  it ;  but  that  will  help  to  cheer  a  bit.  But  it  was 
a  hard  blow." 

Capt.  Burton  wiped  his  eyes,  and  cleared  the  huski- 
ness  from  his  voice. 

"  So  I  took  a  'mazing  fancy  to  this  lad ;  and  I'm 
proud  to  say  I  like  him  better'n  better.  He's  trusty, 
for  all  bis  fun  and  nonsense,  and  bright  as  steel.  So, 
if  you'll  agree,  I  will  promise  to  do  my  best,  and  put 
him  along  as  fast  as  I  can,  so  that  by  the  time  he's  a 
man  he  will  be  able  to  manage  a  craft  of  his  own.  He's 
a  smart  lad." 


196  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

G  ranny  was  glad  to  hear  the  good  report ;  and  as 
for  the  bargain,  —  why,  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  to 
consent.  She  did  not  know  as  it  would  be  any  worse 
to  have  Joe  go  to  Cuba  than  to  Alban}7. 

"  It  won't  be  as  bad,"  said  he.  "  Why,  I  can  come 
home  every  time  that  we're  in  port  unloading.  It's  the 
most  splendid  streak  of  luck  that  I  ever  heard  of. 
And,  Granny,  I'm  bound  to  go  to  China  some  day." 

Granny  consented  inwardly,  with  a  great  quaking  of 
the  heart. 

"  And  3Toa'll  have  the  green-house,  Hal !  Wasn't  it 
funny  that  we  should  plan  it  all  up  in  the  old  garret  ?  " 

Hal's  eyes  sparkled  with  a  distant  hope. 

"  Can't  girls  ever  go  to  sea?  "  asked  Charlie. 

"  Oh,  yes  !  they  can  go  to  see  their  friends  and  take 
tea,  or  go  to  Europe  if  they  have  mone}r  enough." 

"  I  did  not  mean  that ! "  she  said  with  contempt. 

"  Tell  you  what,  Charlie,"  and  there  was  a  sly 
twinkle  in  Joe's  eye :  "  there  is  something  that  you  can 
do  if  you  would  like  to  be  a  boy." 

"  What?"  and  Charlie  was  on  tiptoe. 

"  Why,  there's  a  kind  of  mill  somewhere  ;  and  they 
put  girls  in  it,  and  grind  'em  all  up  fine,  and  they 
come  out  boys ! " 

"  O  Joe  !  " 

"  Fact,"  said  Joe  solemnly. 

"  I  wonder  —  if  —  'twould  —  hurt  much  ?  "  and 
Charlie  considered  on  her  powers  of  endurance, 


JOE'S  FORTUNE.  197 

That  was  too  much  for  Joe,  and  even  Hal  joined 
the  laugh. 

"I  knew  it  wasn't  true,"  said  Charlie,  red  with 
anger  and  disappointment.  "  But  I  do  hate  to  be  a 
girl,  and  you  having  all  the  fun  and  going  every- 
where." 

"  Well,  you  can  nm  away.  There  is  a  bright  open- 
ing for  your  future." 

"  You  see  if  I  don't ! "  returned  Charlie. 

So  Joe  went  off  again  in  capital  spirits.  At  CapL 
Burton's  suggestion  he  told  Granny  that  he  meant  to 
give  her  half  his  pay ;  which  she,  simple  soul,  thought 
the  noblest  thing  in  the  world. 

44 1  mean  to  do  a  good  deal  for  you  by  and  by, 
Granny.  I'll  be  a  captain  some  day,  and  make  oceans 
of  money." 

"  It  is  nice  to  have  Joe  settled  and  in  good  hands," 
Hal  said  after  he  was  gone.  "  And  I  hope  well  all  be 
an  honor  to  yon,  Granny." 

'•You've  been  a  comfort  since  the  day  yon  were 
born,"  was  Granny's  tremulous  answer. 

They  found  Joe's  six  dollars  a  month  a  great  help ; 
and  then  tne  t*u  were  missed  out  of  the  di*h,  as  well 
as  the  household  circle.  Hal  still  kept  to  his  thought- 
ful ways,  reading  and  studying,  and  planning  how  he 
should  make  his  wants  and  his  opportunities  join 
hands.  For  somehow  he  did  mean  to  compass  the 


17* 


198  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Joe's  letters  and  stories  were  wonderfully  entertain- 
ing. He  began  to  lose  the  boy's  braggadocio  :  indeed, 
the  facts  themselves  were  interesting  enough,  without 
much  embellishment.  One  by  one  the  islands  came  in 
for  a  share.  Moro  Castle  and  all  the  old  Spanish 
fortifications,  the  natives  who  were  so  new  and  pecu- 
liar, the  different  modes  of  life,  the  business,  the  days 
and  nights  of  listless,  lovely  sailing,  the  storms  and 
dangers,  gave  a  great  variety  to  his  life. 

Now  and  then  he  brought  them  some  choice  fruits  ; 
and,  while  Charlie  and  Kit  devoured  them,  Hal  used  to 
sit  and  listen  to  the  description  of  orange-groves,  and 
how  pine-apples  and  bananas  grew.  It  was  something 
to  have  been  on  the  spot,  and  looked  at  them  with  your 
own  eyes,  — ever  so  much  better  than  a  book. 

Thus  the  months  and  3rears  ran  on.  Joe  was  past 
sixteen,  tall,  and,  though  not  thin,  had  a  round,  supple 
look,  and  could  dance  a  break-down  to  perfection. 
He  did  not  practise  standing  on  his  head  quite  so 
much,  but  I  dare  say  he  could  have  done  it  with  equal 
grace.  He  was  just  as  droll  and  as  merry  as  ever ; 
and  you  would  always  be  able  to  tell  him  by  the 
twinkle  in  his  fun-loving  eye.  In  fact,  Joe  Kenneth 
was  "  somebody  "  at  Madison. 

Hal  was  much  smaller  of  his  age.  Charlie  began  to 
evince  symptoms  of  shooting  up  into  a  May-pole,  and 
being  all  arms  and  legs.  She  was  still  thin,  lanky 
indeed,  and  always  burned  as  brown  as  a  berry,  except 


JOE'S  FORTUNE.  199 

a  few  weeks  at  mid-winter ;  and  her  eyes  looked  largei 
than  ever ;  while  her  hair  was  cropped  close,  —  she 
would  have  it  so,  and,  to  her  great  disgust,  it  seemed 
as  if  it  was  actually  turning  red. 

"  Because  you  ahv«vs  ran  in  the  sun  so  much,"  Hal 
would  say. 

They  heard  from  Flossy,  who  was  happy  and  prosper- 
ous, —  a  great  lady  indeed.  She  had  elegant  dresses, 
and  went  to  grand  parties,  had  created  a  sensation  at 
Saratoga,  been  to  Niagara  Falls,  and  expected  to 
spend  the  winter  at  Fifth-avenue  Hotel. 

Ah,  how  far  she  had  drifted  beyond  them!  They 
could  not  cross  the  golden  river  that  flowed  between. 
Did  she  ever  long  for  them  a  little?  Would  she  be 
glad  to  drop  down  upon  them  in  all  her  glory  and 
beauty,  and  be  kissed  by  the  dear  old  lips  that  pnu  ed 
daily  and  nightly  for  her  welfare? 

There  came  some  quite  important  changes  to  Madi- 
son. A  new  railroad  was  projected,  that  would  shorten 
the  distance  to  the  intervening  cities,  and  bring  it 
within  an  hour's  ride  from  the  great  empor.nm,  New 
York.  Then  began  a  great  era  of  activity.  Streets 
were  laid  out  around  the  station ;  quite  an  extensive 
woollen-mill  was  put  in  operation,  which  caused  an 
influx  of  population.  The  old  sawing-mill  was  en- 
larged, so  great  became  the  demand  for  lumber ;  the 
Kinsey  farm  was  divided  into  building-lots,  some 
rather  elegant  mansions  were  raised,  and  a  new  church 
erected. 


200  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

The  Kenneth  place  was  rather  out  of  range  of  all 
this. 

"  But  our  little  farm  may  be  quite  valuable  by  and 
by,"  declared  Hal.  "  It  would  be  astonishing,  Gran- 
m~,  if  you  were  to  become  a  rich  woman  before  you 
died." 

"  I'll  have  to  live  a  good  long  while  ;"  and  Granny 
gave  her  cracked  but  still  pleasant  little  laugh. 

Joe  remained  nearly  two  years  and  a  half  with  Capi. 
Burton,  when  the  crowning  good  fortune  of  his  life,  as 
he  thought  it,  occurred.  This  was  nothing  less  than 
an  opportunity  to  go  to  China,  his  great  ambition. 

It  almost  broke  Granny's  heart.  To  have  him  away 
two  or  three  months  had  appeared  a  long  while ;  but 
when  it  came  to  be  years  — 

"  Of  course  I  shall  return,"  declared  Joe.  "  Did  you 
ever  hear  of  a  fish  being  drowned,  or  a  bad  penny  that 
didn't  come  back?  And  then  for  a  silk  gown,  Granny, 
and  a  crape  shawl !  You  shall  have  one  if  you  are  a 
hundred  years  old,  and  have  to  hobble  around  with 
a  crutch." 

"  I'd  rather  have  you  than  a  hundred  silk  gowns." 

"  And  I  expect  you  to  have  me.  The  very  handsom- 
est grandson  in  the  family.  If  you  are  not  proud  of 
me,  Granny,  I  shall  cut  you  off  with  a  shilling,  and 
wear  a  willow  garland  all  the  days  of  my  life,  in  token 
of  grief." 

So  he  kept  them  laughing  to  the  latest  moment; 


JOE'S  FORTUNE.  201 

and,  after  all,  it  was  not  so  very  different  from  the 
other  partings.  But  he  declared,  if  Granny  didn't  live 
to  see  him  come  home,  he  never  should  be  able  to  for- 
give her. 

Hal  actualh'  went  down  to  New  York  to  see  him  off, 
and  had  a  pleasant  visit  with  Mrs.  Burton.  It  was  a 
great  event  in  the  boy's  life. 

"  I  didn't  think  there  ever  could  be  quite  such  a 
splendid  place ! "  he  said  on  his  return.  "  And  the 
great  beautiful  bay,  with  its  crowds  and  crowds  of 
shipping,  looking  like  flocks  of  birds  in  the  distance  ; 
but  the  people  almost  frightened  me,  for  it  seemed  as 
if  one  could  never  get  out  of  the  tangle.  Then  the 
park  is  just  like  fairy-land.  And  I  found  a  place 
where  a  man  buys  cut-flowers,  especially  all  kinds  of 
beautiful  white  ones.  And,  Granny,  one  could  make  a 
good  deal  of  money  with  a  hot-house." 

"  I  hope  you'll  have  it,"  Granny  answered ;  though, 
truth  to  tell,  she  had  no  very  clear  ideas  upon  the  sub- 
ject, except  that  Hal  of  all  others  deserved  to  have 
his  dream  come  true. 

Hal  had  treated  himself  to  a  book  on  gardening,  and 
another  on  floriculture.  He  was  fifteen  now,  —  a  steady, 
industrious  little  chap ;  and  the  farmers  round  were 
very  glad  to  have  him  when  they  were  in  a  hurry  or  ran 
short  of  help.  For  Hal  had  a  good  man}*  very  sensible 
ideas,  and  sometimes  quite  astonished  the  country 
people  who  went  on  in  the  same  groove  as  their  fathers 


202  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    hOME. 

and  grandfathers.  To  be  sure,  they  laughed  and  pooh- 
poohed  a  little  ;  but,  when  his  plans  proved  more  for- 
tunate in  some  respect,  they  admitted  that  he  had  an 
old  head  on  young  shoulders. 

"  I'm  going  to  have  some  nice  hot-beds  for  next 
spring,"  he  said  to  Granny.  "  I'm  sure  I  can  sell 
earl}*  lettuce  and  radishes,  and  some  of  those  things." 

So  he  worked  on,  spending  his  leisure  da}"s  in  im- 
proving his  own  little  garden-spot.  The  place  had 
begun  "  to  blossom  like  a  rose,"  dear  Joe  said.  There 
were  honeysuckle  and  roses  trained  over  the  house, 
making  it  a  pretty  little  nest,  in  spite  of  want  of  paint 
and  a  general  tumbling  into  decay.  Over  the  kitchen 
part  crept  clusters  of  wisteria ;  and  in  front  there  were 
two  mounds  of  flowers,  making  the  small  dooryard 
bright  and  attractive. 

The  chickens  had  to  be  kept  by  themselves,  on  Hal's 
farm.  Every-  day  he  felt  thankful  for  that  little  plot 
of  ground.  Mr.  Terry  was  glad  to  take  all  their  eggs, 
for  Hal  managed  that  they  should  be  large  and  choice. 

"  And  if  I  should  have  a  hot-house  by  the  time  Joe 
eomes  back,  it  will  be  just  royal !  " 

Granny  smiled. 

Poor  dear  Hal !  One  day  he  was  working  out  in 
the  haj'field,  gay  as  a  lark ;  and  Farmer  Morris  said 
his  boys  did  as  much  again  work  when  Hal  was  there. 
The  last  load  was  going  home.  Hal  mounted  to  the 
top,  calling  merrily  to  the  group,  when  the  horses  gave 


JOE'S  FORTUNE.  203 

a  sadden  start.  It  seemed  as  if  he  only  slid  down, 
and  the  distance  was  not  very  great ;  but  he  lay  quite 
still.  They  waited  for  a  laugh  or  a  shout,  and  then 
ran ;  but  Hal's  face  was  over  in  the  grass. 

Great  brawny  Sam  lifted  him  up.  uttering  a  sharp 
cry ;  for  Hal  was  deathly  white,  and  could  not  stand. 
A  deep  groan  escaped  the  lips  that  had  laughed  with 
gladness  only  a  moment  ago,  and  were  now  drawn  to 
a  thin  blue  line. 

They  crowded  round  with  awe-stricken  faces. 

"Oh,  he  isn't  dead!" 

"  Xo.  I  guess  not ; "  and  Sam's  voice  had  a  quiver 
in  it,  as  if  tears  were  not  far  off.  4»  O  father,  father ! " 

Mr.  Morris  hurried  to  the  spot. 

Ci  Poor  Hal !  Lef  s  take  him  home,  and  send  for  a 
doctor.  I  wouldn't  had  it  happen  for  a  hundred  dol- 
lars !  It'll  about  kill  his  grandmother." 

Hal  gave  another  groan,  but  did  not  open  his  eyes. 

"  Can't  we  rig  up  some  kind  of  a  litter?  for,  if  he's 
hurt  much,  it  will  never  do  to  carry  him  by  hand.  Bun 
get  a  shutter,  Sam.  Dick,  go  and  bring  a  hatful  of 
water.  Poor  boy !  Td  rather  it  had  been  one  of  my 
own." 

Dick  flew  to  the  brook,  and  brought  back  some  water, 
with  which  they  bathed  the  small  white  face.  Then  Sam 
made  his  appearance,  with  a  shutter  on  his  shoulder. 

'*  Raise  him  softly,  so.  Dick,  run  after  Dr.  Meadc 
as  fast  as  you  can  go.  We'll  take  him  home." 


204  THERE'S    NO    PLACE     LIKE    HOME. 

They  lifted  Mm  with  tender  hands;  but  both  soil 
and  body  were  unconscious  of  pain.  Sam  brushed 
away  some  tears  with  his  shirt-sleeve,  and  Farmer 
Morris  spread  his  linen  coat  over  the  silent  figure.  It 
was  some  distance  to  Mrs.  Kenneth's. 

Charlie  was  firing  stones  at  a  mark  ;  but  she  rushed 
to  the  gate  and  screamed,  "  Granny,  Granny  !  " 

When  Granny  Kenneth  saw  them  with  their  burden, 
a  speechless  agony  seized  every  pulse.  She  could  not 
even  utter  a  cry. 

"  He  isn't  dead,"  Farmer  Morris  hurried  to  say. 
"  But  it's  a  sad  day's  work,  and  I'd  a  hundred  times 
rather  it  had  been  my  Dick." 

"  O  Hal,  my  darling !  The  greatest  comfort  your 
poor  old  Granny  had  !  No,  I  can't  have  him  die.  Oh  ! 
will  God  hear  us,  and  pity  me  a  little  ?  I've  h.id  a 
sight  o'  troubles  in  my  day,  but  this  "  — 

They  laid  him  on  Granny's  bed,  and  washed  his  face 
with  camphor,  feeling  of  the  limp  wrists,  and  chafing 
the  cold  hands. 

A  little  quiver  seemed  to  run  along  the  lips,  deep- 
ening into  a  shudder,  and  then  a  groan  which  they  were 
thankful  to  hear. 

"  No,  he  isn't  dead.     Thank  God  for  that ! " 

Fortunately  Dr.  Meade  was  at  home,  and  Le  lost  no 
time  in  coming  over  immediately. 

Mr.  Morris  and  the  doctor  stripped  off  Hal's  clothes, 
and  began  to  examine  the  limbs.  The  arms  were  al] 
right,  —  ankles,  knees,  ah,  what  was  this  ! 


JOE'S  FORTUNE  205 

Hal  opened  his  eyes,  and  uttered  an  excruciating  cry. 

Granny  rocked  herself  to  and  fro,  her  poor  old  brain 
wild  with  apprehension,  for  his  pain  was  hers. 

"  The  trouble's  here,  —  in  the  taigh.  Not  a  break, 
I  hope ;  but  it's  bad  enough ! " 

Bad  enough  they  found  it,  —  a  severe  and  compli- 
cated fracture,  and  perhaps  internal  injuries. 

"  Do  your  best,  doctor,"  said  Mr.  Morris.  "  Fin 
going  to  foot  this  bill ;  and  if  any  thing5!!  save  him  "  — 

He  sent  Sam  back  for  some  articles  that  they 
needed,  and  tried  patiently  to  understand  the  full 
extent  of  the  injury.  Part  of  the  time  Hal  was  uncon- 
scious. And  after  a  long  while  they  laid  him  on  his 
back,  bandaged,  but  more  dead  than  alive. 

"  My  wife  will  come  over  and  stay  with  you,"  Mr. 
Morris  said  to  Granny.  "  She's  a  master  hand  at  nurs- 
ing." 

Dot  hid  herself  in  the  shadow  of  Granny's  skirts, 
clinging  fast  with  her  little  hands  ;  and  Kit  and  Charlie 
huddled  in  the  corner  of  the  kitchen  window-sill,  cry- 
ing softly.  No  one  wanted  any  supper,  except  the 
chickens,  who  asked  in  vain. 

All  night  Granny  prayed  in  her  broken,  wandering 
way.  God  had  her  own  dear  Joe  up  in  heaven.  Flossy 
was  gone ;  little  Joe  was  on  the  wide  ocean ;  and  how 
could  she  live  without  her  precious  Hal!  Not  but 
what  he  was  good  enough  to  be  an  angel,  only — onlj 
—  and  the  poor  heart  seemed  breaking. 

18 


206  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

God  listened  and  answered.  The  August  weathei 
was  hot  and  sultry  ;  and  Hal  had  to  battle  with  fever, 
with  dreadful  languor  and  mortal  pain.  He  used  to 
think  sometimes  that  it  would  be  blessed  to  die,  and 
have  a  little  rest,  but  for  Granny's  sake !  — 

After  the  first  fortnight  the  danger  was  over,  and 
the  case  progressing  fairly.  Hal's  back  had  received 
some  injury,  that  was  evident,  and  recovery  would  be 
tedious.  But  Granny  was  so  thankful  to  have  him  any 
way. 

Everybody  was  very  kind.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Howard 
came  often ;  the  Terrys  sent  in  many  luxuries  ;  Sam 
Morris  drew  a  cord  of  wood,  sawed,  split,  and  piled  it ; 
and  there  was  nothing  wanting.  But  Hal  lay  there 
white  and  wan,  his  fingers  growing  almost  as  thin  as 
Dot's  little  bird's  claws. 

"  I  can't  understand  why  it  had  to  happen  to  you, 
Hal,"  Granny  would  exclaim  piteously.  "Now,  if  it 
had  been  Charlie,  who  is  always  sky-larking  round ; 
but  you,  the  very  best  one  of  'em  all !  " 

Hal  would  sigh.  He  couldn't  exactly  understand  it, 
either.  But  somehow  —  God  was  so  much  greatei 
than  them  all ;  and  he  did  keep  watch,  for  it  was  bettei 
to  be  lying  here  than  in  the  churchyard  yonder. 

Mr.  Fielder  had  gone  away,  and  Hal  felt  the  loss 
sorcty.  He  was  a  little  afraid  of  Mr.  Howard,  and 
could  not  seem  to  talk  of  his  plans  and  his  flowers, 
and  ask  any  question  that  puzzled  him ;  though  Mr. 


JOE*S  FORTUNE.  907 

Howard  kindly  sent  Mm  entertaining  boobs,  and  used 
to  drop  in  for  a  chat  now  and  then. 

September  passed.  Hal  was  still  unable  to  sit  up, 
and  he  began  to  grow  weary  of  the  confinement. 

44  Granny,"  he  said  one  day,  "  I  believe  m  have  to 
be  a  girl,  and  learn  to  make  myself  useful.  I  could 
kiilt  a  Httle  OIK*,  or  I  might  sew  patchwoiik.  There  i* 
no  one  to  langh  at  me." 

44  Dear  heart,  so  yon  shall,"  replied  Granny. 

So  she  cut  him  out  a  pile  of  pretty  bright  calicoes 
begged  of  the  dressmaker.  And  then  he  knit  Charlie 
a  pair  of  yarn  mittens,  and  crocheted  some  edging  lor 
Dot's  white  apron. 

Indeed,  Dot  was  a  great  comfort  to  him.  She  used 
to  climb  up  on  his  bed  with  her  "  Red  Biding  Hood," 
or  -  Mother  Goose  Melodies,"  and  read  him  stories  by 
fie  hour.  Then  she  would  twine  her  fingers  in  his  soft 
brown  hair  to  make  him  "pretty,"  aa  she  and,  and 
cuddle  him  in  various  ways,  always  ending  with  a  ho*t 
of  kisses  and,  *•  Dotty  so  sorry  for  yon,  Hal ! " 

For  she  was  stin  a  little  midget,  and  cried  so  dread- 
fully the  first  day  she  went  to  school  that  they  let  her 
stay  home.  Hal  had  taught  her  a  great  deal ;  but  she 
was  so  shythat  she  would  hardly  say  a  wozd  to  a  stran- 
ger- 
Charlie  began  to  improve  a  little,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed; thooghshe  ted  fits  of  abstraction,wh 
the  pan  of  dish- water  in  the  doeet,  and  threw  the] 


208  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

and  forks  out  of  doors,  and  one  day  boiled  the  dish- 
cloth instead  of  the  potatoes,  which  Hal  fancied  must 
be  army-soup ;  and  sometimes,  without  the  slightest 
apparent  cause,  she  would  almost  laugh  herself  into 
hysterics. 

' '  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  Granny  would  ask.  ' '  Are 
you  out  of  your  head  ?  " 

And  Charlie  would  answer,  "  I  was  only  thinking." 

"  I'd  like  to  get  inside  of  her  brain,  and  see  what 
was  there,"  Hal  would  sometimes  remark. 

The  chickens  had  to  be  made  ready  and  takeu  to 
market  this  year  without  any  of  Hal's  assistance.  And 
then  he  began  to  wonder  if  he  ever  would  get  well? 
Suppose  he  did  not? 


CHAPTER  XHL 

FKOX   GKAT  SKIES  TO   BLUB. 

r  I  THEY"  were  pretty  poor,  to  be  sore,  —  poor  as  in  the 
-*-  hardest  of  times.  There  were  the  chickens,  and 
Granny  could  make  a  bit  of  broth  for  Hal ;  bat  Kit  and 
Charlie  raced  like  deers,  and  had  appetites.  After 
Granny  bought  them  clothes  and  shoes,  the  funds  were 
rather  low.  Hal  guessed  at  it  all,  but  Granny  never 
made  any  complaints. 

He  had  begun  a  tidy  in  red-and-white  diamond- 
shaped  blocks ;  but  it  seemed  to  grow  upon  his  hands ; 
and  one  day  when  Dot  called  it  a  beautiful  bedcrOt,  for 
her  tongue  still  had  a  few  kinks  in  it,  a  new  idea  crept 
into  his  brain. 

"  Do  you  think  it  would  make  a  pretty  spread?"  he 
asked  Mrs.  Howard  rather  timidly,  during  a  call. 

"  Why.  it  would,  to  be  sure,  and  so  serviceable ! 
It  is  a  bright  idea,  Hal." 

"  Do  you  suppose  I  could  sell  it  ?" 

«« If  you  want  to — yes." 

"  I  can't  do  any  thing  else,"  said  Hal  with  a  sigh ; 
"  and  if  I  hare  to  stay  here  all  winter." 


210  THERE'S    NO     PLACE    LIKE     HOME. 

For  Hal's  back  was  so  weak  that  he  could  only  be  bol- 
stered up  in  the  bed,  and  he  had  not  walked  a  step  yet. 

Mrs.  Howard  thought  a  moment,  then  said,  — 

"  Finish  it  Hal,  and  I  will  see  that  it  is  sold." 

So  Hal  went  on  hopefully.  Granny  bewailed  the 
fact  that  she  had  done  nothing  all  the  fall  to  help  along. 
They  missed  their  allowance  from  Joe ;  but  they  had 
heard  from  him  in  his  usual  glowing  and  exuberant 
fashion. 

Mrs.  Howard  took  a  trip  around  Madison  one  morn- 
ing, and  held  sundry  mysterious  conferences  with  some 
of  her  neighbors,  returning  home  quite  well  pleased. 

"  I  am  so  glad  I  thought  of  it !  "  she  said  to  her  hus- 
band ;  and  he  answered,  "  So  am  I,  my  dear." 

One  afternoon  early  in  December  she  went  over  to 
Mrs.  Kenneth's.  Dot  had  been  clearing  up  under  Hal's 
instructions,  and  they  looked  neat  as  a  pin.  After  she 
found  that  her  visitor  intended  to  remain,  Grann}r  put 
on  a  fresh  calico  dress  and  a  clean  cap  ;  and  they  had  a 
nice  old-fashioned  time  talking,  which  Hal  enjoyed 
exceedingly. 

Mrs.  Howard  had  brought  a  basket  full  of  various 
luxuries,  —  some  nice  cold  tongue,  and  part  of  a  turkey, 
besides  jellies  and  cake.  Quite  a  little  feast,  indeed. 

Hal  begged  them  to  have  tea  in  the  best  room,  where 
he  \&y  ;  and  he  enjoyed  it  almost  as  much  as  if  he  could 
have  sat  up  to  the  table.  Kit  and  Charlie  were  de- 
lighted with  the  feast. 


FROM  GRAY  SKIES  TO  BLUE.  211 

Then  they  settled  every  thing  again,  and  Granny 
stirred  the  fire.  The  wind  whistled  without,  but  within 
it  was  bright  and  cheerful.  Hal  felt  very  happy 
indeed.  It  seemed  as  if  God's  strong  arms  were  about 
Ir.ru,  helping  him  to  bear  the  weariness,  as  he  had  been 
strengthened  to  bear  pain. 

Presently  there  was  a  tramping  up  the  path,  and  a 
confusion  of  voices. 

"Some  one  is  coming;"  and  Hal  raised  himself. 
"I  am  almost  sorry  —  we  were  having  such  a  nice, 
quiet  time." 

A  knock  at  the  door,  which  Granny  opened.  Kit,  in 
the  glowing  chimney-corner,  rubbed  his  eyes ;  and  it 
would  have  been  hard  to  tell  which  was  the  sleepiest, 
he  or  the  old  gray  cat. 

"  O-o-h !  "  exclaimed  Charlie ;  and  then  she  darted 
to  Hal.  "  A  whole  crowd  of  'em !  " 

A  crowd,  sure  enough.  It  was  something  of  a  mys- 
tery to  know  how  they  were  going  to  get  in  that  small 
place.  There  was  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Meade,  Mr.  HowanI, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morris,  and  the  boys,  all  the  Terry s,  — 
indeed,  half  Madison,  Hal  thought. 

Mrs.  Howard  laughed  a  little  at  Hal's  puzzled  face. 

"Oh!  —  I  guess"  — 

Granny  in  the  other  room  was  quite  overcome. 
Parcels  and  bags  and  boxes,  shaking  of  hands,  and 
clattering  of  tongues. 

"  It  isn't  exactly  Christmas,  Hal,"  began  Mr.  Mor- 


212  THERE'S    NO    PLACE     LIKE    HOME. 

ris ;  "  but  Santa  Glaus  does  sometimes  lose  his  reckon- 
ing. So  we  thought  we'd  all  drop  in." 

"  And  give  me  a  surprise-part}',"  said  Hal. 

"  Exactly.     Why,  you  look  quite  bright,  my  boy !  " 

Hal  was  bright  enough  then,  with  cheeks  like  roses, 
and  lustrous  eyes. 

Dr.  Meade  sat  him  up  in  the  bed.  One  and  another 
came  to  shake  hands,  and  say  a  pleasant  word  ;  and  in 
a  few  moments  the  whole  group  were  laughing  and  talk- 
ing. There  was  skating  already  over  on  the  pond,  the 
boys  told  him ;  they  were  going  to  have  a  Christmas 
exhibition ;  Jim  Terry  had  received  a  letter  from  Joe  ; 
and  all  the  small  gossip  that  sounds  so  pleasant  when 
one  is  shut  within  doors. 

Then  Mrs.  Howard  brought  out  the  bedspread. 
None  of  the  bo3~s  laughed  at  Hal,  you  may  be  sure ;  and 
the  older  people  thought  it  quite  wonderful.  Mrs. 
Morris  declared  that  she'd  really  like  to  have  it. 

"  It  is  for  sale,"  said  Hal  with  a  little  flush. 

"  Let's  take  shares  ! "  exclaimed  Sam.  "  Now's  your 
chance,  mother :  how  much  will  you  give?" 

"  A  right  good  plan,"  returned  Mrs.  Meade. 

After  a  little  discussion  they  adopted  it.  There 
were  twenty-six  people  who  subscribed  a  dollar ;  and 
then  the  slips  of  paper  were  arranged  for  drawing. 
The  younger  portion  were  considerably  excited ;  and 
Hal's  face  was  in  a  glow  of  interest. 

So  they  began.     One  after  another  took  his  or  her 


FROM  GRAY  SKIES  TO  BLUE.  213 

chance ;  and,  when  it  was  through,  they  all  opened  their 
slips  of  paper,  looking  eagerly  at  each  other. 

Clara  Terry  blushed  scarlet ;  and  Sam's  quick  eyes 
caught  the  unusual  brilliancy.  For  the  cream  of  the 
affair  was,  that  Clara  expected  to  be  married  in  a  few 
weeks. 

Dr.  Meade  guessed  also,  and  then  they  had  a  good 
laugh.  Hal  was  delighted. 

"  It  went  to  the  right  one,"  said  Mr.  Morris.  "  So 
much  towards  housekeeping,  Clara." 

"I  shall  always  think  of  Joe  as  well  as  you,"  she 
said  in  a  soft  whisper  to  Hal,  holding  the  thin  fingers  a 
moment. 

After  that  they  had  a  pleasant  time  singing.  Hal 
was  very  fond  of  vocal  music.  It  seemed  to  him  about 
the  happiest  night  of  his  life.  Then  the  crowd  began 
to  disperse. 

"  I  have  thought  of  something  new,  Hal,"  said  Dr. 
Meade,  "  I  sent  to  New  York  this  morning  for  a 
small  galvanic  battery,  to  try  if  electricity  will  not  help 
you.  We  shall  have  you  around  yet :  do  not  be  dis- 
couraged." 

"Everybody  is  so  kind" — and  Hal's  voice  quiv- 
ered. "  This  has  been  a  lovely  surprise  party." 

After  they  were  gone  Charlie  began  to  count  up  the 
spoils ;  and  every  exclamation  grew  longer  and  louder. 
There  was  a  large  ham,  a  fine  turkey,  tea  and  coffee 
and  butter,  flour,  rice,  farina,  cake  and  biscuit,  a  bag 
of  apples,  and  some  cans  of  fruit. 


214  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  "We  shall  live  like  kings,"  said  Granny,  with  a  little 
sound  in  her  voice  that  might  have  been  a  sob  or  a 
laugh.  "And  only  this  morning  I  was  a  wondering 
how  we  should  get  along." 

"  And  twenty-six  dollars.  Why,  it  is  almost  as 
good  as  being  a  minister,  and  having  a  donation- 
party." 

"  God  doesn't  forget  us,  you  see,"  said  Hal  with 
great  thankfulness. 

He  finished  the  spread  a  few  days  afterward,  and  sent 
it  to  Miss  Clara ;  and  then  Mrs.  Meade  brought  him 
the  materials  to  make  her  one. 

The  fracture  had  united ;  but  there  seemed  such  a 
terrible  weakness  of  the  muscles  in  Hal's  back,  that 
Dr.  Meade  had  become  rather  apprehensive.  But,  after 
using  electricity  a  few  weeks,  there  was  an  improve- 
ment. And  one  day  Hal  balanced  himself  upon  two 
crutches. 

"  That's  red  hot !  "  ejaculated  Charlie. 

"  O  Charlie !  worthy  follower  of  Joe,  what  will  you 
do  when  you  get  to  be  a  young  lady  ?  " 

"  Oh,  dear !  I  wish  I  didn't  have  to  be  one  ; "  and 
Charlie  began  to  cry.  "  I'll  wear  a  big  stone  on  top 
of  my  head." 

u  I  am  afraid  it  is  too  late.  You  are  as  tall  as 
Granny  now." 

Hal  gained  slowly.  All  this  time  he  was  thinking 
what  he  should  do  ?  for  he  had  a  presentiment  that  he 


FROM  GRAY  SKIES  TO  BUTE.  215 

might  never  be  very  strong  again.  Xo  more  working 
around  on  farms ;  and,  though  there  were  some  seden- 
tary trades  in  cities,  he  would  meet  with  no  chance  to 
attain  to  them.  So  he  must  have  the  green-house. 

By  spring  he  was  able  to  go  about  pretty  well.  But 
he  looked  white  as  a  ghost,  quite  unlike  the  round  rosy 
Hal  of  other  days. 

"  Kit,"  said  he,  "  you'll  have  to  be  my  right-hand 
man  this  summer.  Maybe  by  another  Christmas  we 
might  have  the  violin." 

"  O  Hal !  I'd  work  from  morning  till  night,"  and 
the  eager  eyes  were  luminous. 

"  Well,  we'll  see." 

Charlie  was  seized  with  a  helpful  fit  also.  After  the 
garden  was  ploughed,  they  all  planted  and  hoed  and 
weeded  ;  and.  as  it  was  an  early  season,  they  had  some 
quite  forward  vegetables. 

One  day  Hal  went  over  to  Salem,  and  invested  a  few- 
dollars  in  tuberoses,  besides  purchasing  some  choice 
flower-seeds.  Then  he  stopped  into  a  small  place 
where  he  had  noticed  cut-flowers,  and  began  to  inquire 
whether  they  ever  bought  any. 

"  All  I  can  get,"  said  the  man.  "  Flowers  are  com- 
ing to  be  the  rage.  People  think  they  can't  have  Ted- 
dings  or  funerals  without  them." 

"  But  you  want  white  ones  mostly?  " 

"White  ones  for  funerals  and  brides.  There  are 
other  occasions,  though,  when  colored  ones  are  worth 
twice  as  much,  and  as  much  needed." 


216  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  You  raise  some?  "  said  Hal. 

"  All  I  can.  I  have  a  small  green-house.  Come  in 
and  see  it.  Did  you  think  of  starting  in  the  busi- 
ness?" 

Hal  colored,  and  cleared  his  voice  of  a  little  tremble. 

"  I  believe  I  shall  some  time,"  he  said. 

The  green-house  was  not  very  large,  to  be  sure,  now 
quite  empty,  as  the  flowers  were  out  of  doors. 

"I  wonder  how  much  such  a  place  would  cost?" 
Hal  asked  with  some  hesitation. 

"  About  a  thousand  dollars,"  replied  the  man,  eying 
it  rather  critically.  "Have  you  had  any  experience 
with  flowers  ?  " 

"  Not  much ; "  and  Hal  sighed.  A  thousand  dollars ! 
No,  he  could  never  do  any  thing  like  that. 

"  The  best  way  would  be  to  study  a  year  or  two 
with  a  florist." 

"  I  suppose  so." 

Hal  was  quite  discouraged,  for  that  appeared  out  of 
his  power  as  well. 

"  There  is  not  so  great  a  demand  for  flowers  in  sum- 
mer, you  know ;  but  in  winter  they  are  scarce,  and 
bring  good  prices.  Still,  some  of  the  choicer  kinds 
sell  almost  any  time ;  fine  rosebuds,  heliotrope,  and 
such  things." 

After  a  little  further  talk,  Hal  thanked  the  man,  and 
said  good-by  with  a  feeling  of  disappointment.  A 
hot-house  was  quite  beyond  his  reach. 


FROM  GRAY  SKIES  TO  BLUE.  217 

However,  he  did  mean  to  have  some  early  vegetable 
beds  for  another  spring —  if  nothing  happened,  he  said 
to  himself,  remembering  his  last  summer's  plans. 

Not  that  he  was  idle,  either.  He  did  a  good  deal  in 
the  lighter  kinds  of  gardening.  The  new  houses  re- 
quired considerable  in  the  way  of  adornment ;  and  Dr. 
Meade  spoke  a  good  word  for  him  whenever  opportu- 
nity offered.  He  had  so  much  taste,  besides  his  extrava- 
gant love  for  flowers ;  and  then  he  had  studied  their 
habits,  the  soil  they  required,  the  time  of  blossoming, 
parting,  or  resetting.  And  it  seemed  as  if  he  could 
make  any  thing  grow.  Slips  of  geranium,  rose-cut- 
tings, and  indeed  almost  every  thing,  flourished  as  soon 
as  he  took  it  in  hand. 

The  new  railroad  brought  them  in  direct  and  easy 
communication  with  another  city,  Xewbury.  Hal  took 
a  journey  thither  one  day,  and  found  a  florist  and  nur- 
seryman who  conducted  operations  on  quite  an  exten- 
sive scale.  But  still  it  was  expensive  in  the  start. 
He  had  thought  of  mortgaging  the  place ;  but  the  little 
money  he  could  raise  in  that  way  would  hardly  be 
sufficient ;  and  then,  if  he  was  not  prosperous,  they 
might  lose  their  little  home. 

At  midsummer  they  heard  some  wonderful  news 
about  Florence.  Mrs.  Osgood  wrote  that  she  was 
going  to  marry  very  fortunately,  a  gentleman  of  wealth 
and  position.  She  sent  love  to  them,  but  she  was  very 
much  engrossed ;  and  Mrs.  Osgood  said  they  must 

19 


218  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

excuse  her  not  writing.  She  enlarged  considerably 
upon  Florence's  brilliant  prospect,  and  appeared  to 
take  great  pleasure  in  thinking  she  had  fitted  her  for 
the  new  position. 

"  Oh ! "  said  Granny  with  a  sigh,  "  we've  lost  her 
now.  She  will  be  too  rich  and  grand  ever  to  come 
back  to  us." 

"  I  don't  know,"  returned  Hal.  "  She  did  owe  Mrs. 
Osgood  a  good  deal  of  gratitude  ;  and  it  was  right  for 
her  to  be  happy  and  obedient  when  she  was  having  so 
much  done  for  her.  But  now  she  may  feel  free  "  — 

"  She  has  forgotten  us,  Hal:  at  least,  she  doesn't 
want  to  remember ; "  and  Granny  wiped  her  eyes. 

"  I  can't  quite  believe  it.  She  had  a  good  heart, 
and  she  did  love  us.  But  maybe  it's  best  anyway. 
We  have  been  unfortunate  "  — 

Hal's  voice  trembled  a  little.  Granny  rocked  to 
and  fro,  her  old  method  of  composing  her  mind  when 
any  thing  went  wrong.  And,  though  she  could  not 
bear  to  blame  Floss}7,  there  was  a  soreness  and  pain  in 
the  old  heart,  —  a  little  sting  of  ingratitude,  if  she  had 
dared  to  confess  it. 

"Hal,"  said  Dr.  Meade  one  day,  "  they  are  going 
to  start  a  new  school  over  at  the  cross-roads.  It's  a 
small  place,  and  probably  there  will  not  be  more  thau 
twenty  or  thirty  scholars,  —  some  of  the  mill-children 
If  you  would  like  to  teach  it,  I  am  pretty  sure  that  I 
could  get  it  for  you." 


FROM    GRAY    SKIES    TO    BLUE.  219 

"  Oh,  if  I  could !  "  and  Hal's  eyes  were  all  alight. 

"  To  be  sure  you  can.  The  salary  is  very  small "  — 
and  Dr.  Meade  made  a  long  pause. 

"Even  a  little  would  help  along,"  was  Hal's  reply, 
his  heart  beating  with  a  strange  rapidity. 

"  There  can't  be  any  appropriation  made  for  it,  you 
see,  as  there  will  be  no  election  till  spring.  But  four 
hundred  dollars  have  been  subscribed,  and  the  com- 
mittee had  a  fancj"  that  they  might  get  a  lady  for  that" 

"I'd  take  it,"  said  Hal.  Four  hundred  dollars 
looked  like  quite  a  fortune  to  him. 

"  It  may  get  up  to  four  hundred  and  fifty,  though  I 
would  not  like  to  promise.  It  is  a  small  sum." 

"  But  there's  always  Saturday  to  yourself,  and  nights 
and  mornings,"  was  Hal's  hopeful  reply. 

"  "Well,  I  will  propose  you,  then.  I  shall  be  on  the 
examining  committee." 

"How  kind  you  are!"  and  Hal's  smile  was  most 
grateful. 

Still  Hal  was  in  so  much  doubt  about  his  good  for- 
tune that  he  didn't  say  a  word  to  Granny  until  tbe 
examination  was  over  and  he  was  sure  of  the  appoint- 
ment. 

"  If s  just  royal,  isn't  it?  "  and  his  eyes  danced  with 
delight.  "  I  was  wondering  what  we  should  do  this 
winter,  when  there  would  be  no  gardening,  unless  I 
went  to  work  in  one  of  the  mills." 

"And  you'd  like  this  better?    O  Hal!    it  does 


220  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

seem  as  if  the  good  God  was  watching  over  us,  and 
always  sent  something  along  in  the  right  time." 

"  He  does,  Granny,  I  am  sure." 

"  For,  when  we  were  nearly  out  last  winter,  there  was 
that  splendid  surprise-party.  I  never  can  get  over  it, 
Hal.  And  your  &ewtiful  quilt,  that  I  don't  belie\e 
another  boy  in  the  world  could  have  done.  O  Hal ! 
you're  such  a  comfort !  " 

And  Granny  wiped  her  poor  old  eyes. 

The  first  pea-vines  were  pulled  up ;  and  then  Hal 
began  to  prepare  for  his  spring  bed.  It  was  vacation ; 
and  Charlie  and  Kit  went  into  the  experiment  with  a 
great  deal  of  zeal.  First  Hal  dug  two  trenches  about 
twelve  feet  long,  and  four  feet  apart.  He  laid  in  these 
the  stones  the  children  brought  in  a  wagon  that  he  had 
manufactured  for  Dot  a  long  while  before.  He  piled 
them  up  like  a  wall,  sifted  sand  between  them,  and  then 
banked  up  the  outside,  making  one  edge  considerably 
higher  than  the  other.  Around  it  all,  at  the  top,  he  put 
a  row  of  planking  about  twelve  inches  high,  and  fixed 
grooves  for  the  sashes  to  slide  across.  Then  he  low- 
e/ed  the  ground  inside,  and  enriched  it  with  manure, 
making  quite  a  little  garden-spot. 

Charlie  wanted  to  have  something  planted  right 
away ;  and  she  did  put  in  surreptitiously  some  peas, 
morning-glories,  and  a  few  squash-seed. 

"  I  don't  know  but  we  might  make  another,"  said 
Hal,  surveying  it  with  a  good  deal  of  pride. 


FROM  GRAY  SKIES  TO  BLUE.  221 

"(Mi,  do!  "exclaimed  Charlie.     "  It's  such  f.m ! " 

Kit  didn't  mind,  if  Hal  would  only  tell  him  a  story 
now  and  then.  Mozart's  childhood  that  he  had  read  in 
a  stray  copy  of  an  old  magazine,  fragments  of  Men- 
delssohn, and  all  the  floating  incidents  he  could  recall 
of  Ole  Boll.  When  these  were  exhausted,  Hal  used  U> 
draw  a  little  upon  his  imagination.  They  had  a  won- 
derful hero  named  Hugo,  who  was  stolen  by  ,_jp«BB 
when  he  was  a  little  boy,  and  wandered  around  in  the 
German  forest  for  years,  meeting  with  various  adven- 
tures, and  always  playing  on  a  violin  to  solace  himself 
when  he  was  cold,  or  tired,  or  hungry,  or  beaten. 

And,  though  Hal  often  declared  that  he  couldn't  think 
of  any  thing  more,  Kit  pleaded  so  wistfully  with  his 
luminous  blue  eyes  and  soft  voice,  that  Hugo  would  be 
started  upon  his  travels  again. 

When  the  frames  were  done,  Hal  went  to  see  Mr. 
Sherman,  the  carpenter  at  Madison,  to  find  what  the 
sashes  would  cost. 

"  There's  an  odd  lot  up  in  the  loft,"  he  said  to  the 
boy.  "They  are  oki-fashioned ;  and  nobody  seems 
to  want  any  thing  of  that  kind,  except  now  and  then 
for  a  kitchen.  I'll  sell  'em  cheap,  if  you  can  make 


So  they  were  sent  down  to  the  Kenneths.  Hal 
worked  over  them  a  few  days,  and  found  that  he  could 
make  them  serviceable,  only  there  would  not  be  quite 
enough.  He  was  very  handy;  and  soon  fitted 
in  their  places.  M* 


222  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Now,  that's  what  I  call  smart,"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Sherman.  "Why,  Hal!  you'd  make  a  good  carpen- 
ter. Tell  you  what  I'll  do.  I'm  in  an  awful  hurry ; 
and,  if  you'll  come  over  and  work  for  me  a  spell,  we 
will  quit  square." 

Hal  was  delighted,  and  accepted  at  once. 

"  How  lucky  it  all  comes  round,  Granny  ! "  he  said  in 
a  gratified  tone.  "  And  I've  been  thinking  "  — 

"  I'll  be  bound  it's  a  bright  idea  ; "  and  Grannj-  gave 
her  little  chirruping  laugh. 

"  I  was  considering  about  the  loom-room,  Grann}'. 
You'll  never  weave  any  more  carpets ;  it's  too  hard 
work :  and  then  Mr.  Higgins  wants  to  set  up  in  the 
business.  He  asked  me  about  our  loom  the  other  day." 

"  No,  I  sha'n't  never  weave  no  more  ;  "  and  Granny 
sighed,  not  at  the  confusion  of  negatives,  but  at  the 
knowledge  that  old  things  were  passing  away. 

"And  it  would  make  such  a  beautiful  flower-room, 
lying  to  the  south  and  west !  " 

Joe  would  have  said,  ' '  What !  the  loom  ?  "  But  dear, 
rollicking  Joe  was  not  there  to  catch  anybody  tripping 
in  absence  of  mind. 

"  So  it  would.     Yes,  you  shall  have  it,  Hal." 

For  Granny  would  have  given  him  her  two  eyes,  if  it 
would  have  done  him  any  good,  and  been  satisfied  to 
be  led  about  by  a  dog  and  a  string  all  the  rest  of  her 
lite. 

They  ran  up  stairs  to  survey.     The  afternoon  sun 


FROM  GRAY  SKIES  TO  BLUE.  223 

was  shining  in  at  the  windows,  covering  half  the 
floor. 

"  Oh,  it  would  be  splendid !  We  can  put  up  a  little 
stove  here ;  and  I  can  have  it  for  a  kind  of  study 
besides.  And  a  room  full  of  flowers !  ~ 

The  tears  fairly  stood  in  Hal's  eyes. 

There  was  not  much  time  to  lose ;  for  in  ten  days 
school  would  begin.  And  now  Hal  considered  what  he 
must  do. 

The  windows  came  almost  down  to  the  floor,  the 
ceiling  being  low.  But  it  would  not  do  to  have  all  the 
flowers  stand  on  a  level,  as  the  sun  would  not  reach 
them  alike.  And  then  a  brilliant  idea  occurred  to  Hal. 

He  went  over  to  Mr.  Sherman's,  and  gathered  some 
pieces  of  joist  that  had  been  sawed  off,  and  thrown 
by  as  nearly  useless.  He  found  eight  that  he  made  of  a 
length,  about  three  feet  high,  and  bespoke  a  number 
of  rough  hemlock-boards.  Out  of  these  he  made  a 
sort  of  counter,  with  the  joists  for  support ;  and  then, 
nailing  a  piece  all  round,  he  had  quite  a  garden-bed. 
This  was  to  stand  back  from  the  windows,  and  have 
slips  and  various  seeds  planted  in  it.  Charlie  and  Kit 
helped  bring  up  the  soil  to  fill  it. 

Then  Hal  bought,  for  a  trifle,  a  lot  of  old  batter- 
tubs  and  firkins  that  Mr.  Terry  was  not  sorry  to  be  rid 
of.  He  sawed  them  down  just  the  height  he  wanted ; 
and  they  made  very  good  flower-pots  for  some  of  the 
larger  plants.  They  were  so  beautiful,  that  it  would  be 


224  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

a  shame  to  leave  them  out  to  perish  in  the  cold 
blasts. 

"  And  somehow  they  seem  just  like  children  to  me," 
he  said,  his  brown  eyes  suffused  with  tenderness. 

On  the  last  Saturday  he  cast  up  his  accounts,  and 
took  a  small  inventory. 

"  We  shall  have  potatoes  and  vegetables  for  winter ; 
and  we  have  a  barrel  of  flour,  and  a  hundred  of  meal, 
besides  lots  of  corn  for  the  chickens ;  then  my  salary 
will  be  a  little  more  than  thirty-six  dollars  a  month, 
counting  eleven  months ;  and  fifty  dollars  for  our 
poultry." 

"  Why,  we'll  be  as  rich  as  kings ! "  was  Granny's 
delighted  reply.  "  You're  a  wonderful  boy,  Hal ! " 

"  And  if  I  could  sell  some  flowers  !  Anyhow,  there 
will  be  the  spring  things.  It  does  look  a  little  like 
prosperity,  Granny." 

"  I'm  so  thankful ! "  and  Granny  twisted  up  her  apron 
in  pure  gratitude. 

"  Charlie  had  better  go  to  school  again.  I  wish  she 
could  learn  to  be  a  teacher  ;  for  she  never  will  like  to 
sew." 

"  No,"  replied  Granny,  with  a  solemn  shake  of  the 
head. 

"  And  she  is  getting  to  be  such  a  large  girl !  Well, 
I  suppose  something  will  come.  It  has  to  all  of  us." 


CHAPTER 


A   FLOWER-GARDES   LS   DOORS. 

OPAL  went  to  school  bright  and  early  the  first 
*  '  Monday  in  September.  It  was  about  a  mile  to 
the  place  called  the  "  Cross-roads,"  because  from  there 
the  roads  diverged  in  every  direction.  An  old 
tumble-down  house  had  been  pat  in  tolerable  order, 
and  some  second-hand  desks  and  benches  arranged  in 
the  usual  fashion.  Just  around  this  point,  there  was 
quite  a  nest  of  cottages  belonging  to  the  mill  work- 


.The  children  straggled  in  shyly,  eying  the  new 
master.  Bather  unkempt,  some  of  them,  and  with  not 
very  promising  faces,  belonging  to  the  poorer  class  at 
German  and  English;  then  others  bright  and  tidy, 
and  brimming  over  with  mirthful  smiles. 

By  ten  o'clock  sixteen  had  assembled.  Hal  gave 
them  a  short  address,  made  a  few  rules,  and  attempted 
to  classify  them.  They  read  and  spelled  a  little,  at 
least  those  who  were  able,  when  the  bell  on  the  factory 
rang  out  the  hour  of  noon. 

Three  new  ones  came   after  dinner.     Hal  labored 


226  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

faithfully ;  but  it  was  a  relief  to  have  the  session 
close. 

Before  the  week  ended,  however,  the  prospect  be- 
came more  inspiriting.  There  were  twenty-three 
scholars,  and  some  whom  it  would  be  a  pleasure  to 
teach.  But,  after  all,  it  was  not  as  delightful  as  work- 
ing among  the  flowers,  —  the  dear,  beautiful  children 
who  gave  only  fragrance  and  loveliness  continually. 

He  had  been  so  tired  every  night,  that  he  could  do 
nothing  but  rest ;  and  so  he  was  glad  to  have  Satur- 
day come. 

"  It  seems  early  to  take  them  in,"  he  said,  surveying 
the  garden  so  full  of  glory.  "  But  there  is  a  good  deal 
to  do  ;  and  I  shall  have  only  one  day  in  the  week." 

Kit  took  the  wheelbarrow,  and  trundled  off  to  the 
woods  for  some  more  good  soil ;  for  Hal  had  to  be 
economical,  since  he  could  not  afford  to  buy  every 
thing.  They  were  out  of  debt,  and  had  a  little  money, 
—  very  little  indeed ;  but  there  were  some  pears  and 
^"^  ^s  to  sell.  Hal's  Concord  and  Rogers  hybrid  had 
done  beautifully  ;  and  two  of  the  new-comers  in  Madi- 
son had  offered  to  take  all  he  had,  at  ten  cents  a  pound. 

"  I  could  get  more  in  the  city,"  he  said  ;  "  but  there 
would  be  the  time  and  trouble  of  going.  And  grapes 
are  heavy  too  :  it  doesn't  take  many  bunches  to  weigh 
a  pound  ;  and  ten  pounds  come  to  a  dollar." 

But  on  this  day  he  went  at  his  roses.  He  had 
obtained  quite  a  number  of  slips  of  hybrid  monthlies, 


A  FLOWER-GARDEN  IN  DOORS.  227 

mosth  tea-roses;  and  they  were  doing  nicely.  Some 
had  blossomed  once,  and  others  were  just  showing 
bud.  These  he  meant  to  transplant  to*  his  bed  up 
stairs.  Careful  and  patieni,  he  took  up  the  most  of 
them  so  nicely,  that  I  don't  believe  they  knew  they 
were  moved,  until  they  began  to  look  around  for  their 
companions. 

Dot  ran  up  stairs  and  down,  and  was  most  enthu- 
siastic. 

"  It  will  be  so  lovely  to  have  a  garden  in  the  house ! " 
was  her  constant  ejaculation. 

By  noon  he  had  all  the  small  roses  in,  —  five  white 
ones,  four  piiik,  and  about  a  dozen  of  different  shades 
of  deep  velvety  red.  In  this  soil  he  had  used  an 
abundance  of  powdered  charcoal.  Then  came  half  a 
dozen  young  heliotropes. 

"  Now,  I  am  going  to  save  the  rest  of  the  space, 
and  shall  plant  sweet-alyssum  and  candytuft,  and 
some  mignonette.  I  guess  we  have  done  about  enough 
for  one  da}*,"  he  said  to  Granny  and  Dot. 

Charlie  and  Kit  were  lolling  under  the  trees,  resting 
from  their  labors.  Now  and  then  they  had  a  merry 
outburst ;  but  Charlie  had  grown  strangely  quiet. 
She  would  sit  lost  in  thought  for  hours  together,  unless 
some  one  spoke  to  her ;  and  then  she  would  take  to 
reading  in  the  same  absorbed  manner. 

"•  Hal,"  she  said  one  evening,  "  what  do  you  know 
of  drawing  ?  " 


228  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  A  little  more  than  the  old  woman  who  could  not 
tell  a  cow  from  a  rosebud  ; "  and  Hal  smiled  with  quiet 
humor. 

"  I  wish  some  one  would  teach  me !  " 

"  They  do  not  have  any  drawing  at  school?  " 

"  No,  only  at  the  academy.  Belle  Hartman  1& 
learning ;  but  I  don't  care  any  thing  about  flowers 
and  such." 

Faces  and  grotesque  situations  were  Charlie's  pas- 
sion. She  could  see  the  ludicrous  side  so  quickly ! 

"  You  might  practise  at  home,  evenings." 

"  But  paper  costs  a  good  deal.  Oh,  I  wish  I  had 
some  money ! " 

"  Well  Charlie,  be  patient.  Something  may  come 
around  by  and  by." 

"Oh,  dear!"  and  Charlie  sighed.  "  I  wish  some 
one  would  come  along  and  adopt  me;  but  then  I'm  not 
handsome,  like  Flossy.  I  suppose  she  is  having  a 
splendid  time.  It  seems  to  me  that  she  might  write 
just  a  little  word." 

Hal  thought  so  too.  As  the  months  went  on,  he 
began  to  feel  bitterly  disappointed.  Ah  !  if  they  could 
but  see  her  once,  —  their  beautiful  Florence. 

Through  the  course  of  the  month  Hal  managed  to 
get  his  flowers  in  very  nice  order,  —  several  fuchsia, 
that  were  in  splendid  bloom,  two  large  heliotropes,  an 
elegant  and  thrifty  monthly  carnation,  and  a  salvia 
that  was  a  glory  in  itself.  But  alas !  that  drooped  and 


A  FLOWER-GARDEN  IN  DOORS.  229 

withered :  so  Hall  trimmed  it  down.  Besides  this,  some 
rose  and  balm  geraniums,  a  tub  full  of  callas,  and  ten 
of  his  tuberoses,  that  he  had  saved  for  winter  blossom- 
ing. The  other  two  had  been  a  source  of  untold  com- 
fort to  him.  Then  he  had  an  exquisite  safrano,  and 
two  chromatilla  roses. 

"  Why  it's  quite  a  green-house,"  he  said  delightedly. 
"Now,  if  I  can  only  make  them  blossom  all  winter !  " 

The  first  spare  Saturday  he  went  over  to  Salem  to 
see  Mr.  Thomas.  He  was  rather  diffident,  and  did  not 
like  to  explain  his  economical  arrangements,  but  said 
that  he  was  likely  to  have  some  flowers  for  sale.  Mr. 
Thomas  took  him  through  his  green-house  again ;  and, 
though  there  were  a  great  many  more  plants,  Hal 
thought  he  could  show  almost  as  much  bloom. 

"I'll  take  your  flowers,"  he  promised,  "provided 
you  do  not  have  too  many,  and  if  we  could  manage  it 
this  way :  sometimes  I  receive  a  large  order  nearly  a 
week  beforehand,  and  I  could  let  you  know,  in  order 
that  you  might  bring  me  all  you  had  which  were  really 
fine.  And,  to  be  frank  with  you,  I  cannot  afford  to  pay 
as  much  as  you  might  get  at  Newbury  or  N«w  York." 

"  I  should  like  to  know  some  of  the  prices,"  Hal 
remarked. 

"  It  depends  a  good  deal  upon  the  demand  and  the 
season ;  but  prices  never  vary  a  great  deal." 

They  went  round,  and  Hal  learned  a  good  deal  in  the 
course  of  his  tour. 
20 


230  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Do  you  know  of  any  place  in  Nowbury  where  1 
could  dispose  of  flowers  ?  "  he  asked. 

"There  is  a  Mr.  Kirkman, — one  brother  keeps  a 
confectionery,  and  the  other  supplies  flowers.  But  per- 
haps I  may  be  able  to  do  as  well  by  you.  However,  I 
will  give  you  his  card." 

Hal  and  Mr.  Thomas  parted  very  good  friends  ;  and 
the  florist  gave  him  some  valuable  advice. 

"  That  fellow  will  succeed,"  he  said  to  himself, 
watching  Hal's  retreating  figure.  "  His  whole  soul  is 
in  the  flowers ;  and  he  blushes  over  them  as  if  they 
were  a  sweetheart.  Looks  pale  and  delicate,  though." 

Truth  to  tell,  Hal  had  been  working  pretty  hard. 
The  school  was  a  great  tax  upon  him ;  and  the  labor 
with  his  plants  had  been  severe.  Kit  and  Granny  tried 
to  save  him  all  they  could  in  the  way  of  getting  in  win- 
ter vegetables,  and  looking  after  the  chickens. 

Ten  days  after  his  visit  to  Salem,  he  received  a  little 
note  from  Mr.  Thomas  on  this  wise. 

"  Bring  me  on  Thursday  morning,  if  you  have  them, 
three  dozen  roses,  assorted  colors,  heliotrope,  and  fine 
sprays  of 'fuchsia,  if  yours  are  still  in  bloom. 

"F.  THOMAS." 

Hal  was  delighted.  Through  September  the}r  had 
managed  to  get  along  on  the  proceeds  of  their  garden, 
and  the  fruit ;  but  his  first  month's  pay  had  to  go  for 
clothes.  It  almost  broke  Granny's  heart  to  take  it. 


A  FLOWER-GARDEN  IN  DOORS.  231 

"  Why,  I  shall  earn  some  more ! "  Hal  exclaimed  with 
his  gay  laugh.  "  It  is  just  what  it  is  for.  Granny,  to 
spend.  I'm  thankful  to  be  able  to  earn  it." 

It  was  the  middle  of  October  now ;  and  there  bad 
been  some  severe  frost  already.  Tender  out-doors 
plants  were  a  mass  of  blackened  ruins. 

4i  You  will  have  to  go  over  for  me,  Charlie,"  said  Hal, 
"  because  I  cannot  leave  school.  The  stage  starts  at 
nine." 

Charlie  was  in  ecstasies.  She  rose  by  daylight  on 
Thursday  morning,  to  curl  her  hair,  Kit  said;  and 
could  hardly  wait  for  Hal  to  cut  and  pack  the  flowers. 

"  I  am  sure  I  shall  be  left ! "  she  declared  twenty 
times  at  least, 

Hal  thought  of  it  all  the  way  to  school.  It  seemed 
different  from  any  other  earnings,  and  gave  him  an 
exquisite  pleasure.  His  own  lovely  darlings,  his  dream 
actually  coming  to  pass. 

Charlie  was  superbly  generous,  and  left  the  stage  at 
the  Cross-roads,  when  she  might  have  ridden  half  a  mile 
farther. 

The  children  were  just  being  dismissed:  so  she 
rushed  in  full  of  excitement. 

"  O  Hal !  he  said  they  were  lovely,  and  the  carna- 
tions magnificent.  He  wondered  how  you  raised  them. 
They  were  a  great  deal  prettier  than  his." 

Hal  blushed  like  a  girl.  He  had  sent  the  carnations 
a:  a  ven:  ;:o. 


232  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE     HOME. 

"  And  here's  the  bill  and  the  money." 

Charlie  was  as  proud  as  if  it  had  been  her  own. 
Hal's  fingers  trembled  as  he  opened  it.  There  they  all 
were :  — 

Three  dozen  Roses $1.50 

Two  dozen  Heliotrope 75 

Fuchsias 75 

One  dozen  Carnations 48 

$3.48 

"Oh!"  exclaimed  Hal  with  a  glad  cry:  "  it's  just 
splendid !  And  he  liked  them  all  ?  " 

"Yes.  There's  going  to  be  a  great  wedding  in 
Salem.  Such  hosts  and  hosts  of  flowers !  And  Jim 
Street  took  me  for  fifteen  cents  !  " 

"  So  there's  more  than  three  dollars  profit,"  Hal  re- 
turned. "  Now  you  must  run  home,  Charlie,  and  get 
some  dinner.  I  have  not  enough  for  two." 

"  I  don't  see  why  I  can't  sta}T.  I  should  like  to  see 
your  school,  Hal,  when  all  the  children  are  in." 

"  But  Granny  will  be  troubled.  Yes,  you  had  better 
go,  Charlie.  You  have  been  so  good  this  morning,  that 
you  must  not  spoil  it  all.  And  then  she'll  be  glad  to 
hear" 

Charlie  went  reluctantly.  Granny  was  overjoyed 
The  three  dollars  looked  as  large  to  her  as  a  hundred 
would  have  to  many  a  one. 

Hal  could  hardly  wait  until  four  o'clock.    He  hurried 


A  FLOWER-GARDEN  IN  DOORS.  23S 

home,  and  ran  up  stairs ;  bat  the  poor  flowers  had  been 
shorn  of  their  crown  of  glory. 

"  I  can't  bear  to  look  at  'em,"  said  Granny  with  a 
quiver  in  her  voice.  "  The  poor  dear  things,  that 
seemed  jest  like  human  erectors!  I  used  to  talk  to 
'em  every  time  I  came  in." 

"  But  they'll  soon  be  lovely  again ;  and  it  pleases  me 
so  much  to  think  that  I  can  make  a  little  money.  I 
shall  have  the  green-house  some  day ;  and  you  won't 
have  any  thing  to  do  but  walk  round  in  it  like  a 
|ueen.'' 

Granny  smiled.  Every  plan  of  Hal's  was  precious 
Sober. 

The  heliotrope  appeared  to  be  the  better  for  the 
pruning ;  and  some  of  the  tuberoses  shot  up  a  tall  spike 
for  buds. 

Then  Hal  had  a  few  demands  from  the  neighbors 
round.  Mr.  Thomas's  nest  call  was  early  in  November, 
when  he  asked  Hal  to  bring  all  the  flowers  that  were 
available.  It  being  Saturday  morning,  he  went  in  with 
them  himself,  and  became  the  happy  recipient  of  five 
dollars  and  a  quarter.  Then  he  took  a  ramble  in  a 
bookstore,  and,  being  attracted  by  the  first  few  pages 
of  "  Charles  Auchester,"  purchased  the  book. 

Kit  went  nearly  wild  over  it.  Hal  read  it  aloud ;  and 
he  held  his  breath  at  the  exquisite  description  of 
Charles's  first  concert,  and  the  tenderness  and  sweetness 
of  the  Chevalier.  Though  part  of  it  was  rather  be- 


234  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

yond  their  comprehension,  they  enjoyed  it  wonderfully, 
nevertheless. 

The  little  room  np  stairs  became  quite  a  parlor  for 
them.  The  stove  kept  it  nice  and  warm ;  and  they 
used  to  love  to  sit  there  evenings,  inhaling  the  fra- 
grance, and  watching  the  drowsy  leaves  as  they  nod- 
ded to  each  other :  it  seemed  to  Hal  that  he  had  never 
been  so  happy  in  the  world.  He  ceased  to  long  for 
Florence. 

They  did  very  well  on  their  chickens  this  year, 
clearing  forty  dollars.  Granny  thought  they  were 
quite  rich. 

"  You  ought  to  put  it  in  the  bank,  Hal !  it's  just  a 
flow  of  good  luck  on  every  side."  . 

And,  when  he  received  his  pay  for  November,  he 
actually  did  put  fifty  dollars  in  the  bank,  though  there 
were  a  hundred  things  he  wanted  with  it. 

The  latter  part  of  December  Hal's  flowers  began  to 
bloom  in  great  profusion.  The  alyssum  and  candy- 
tuft came  out,  and  the  house  was  sweet  with  tube- 
roses. There  being  more  than  Mr.  Thomas  wanted, 
he  took  a  box  full  to  Newbury  one  Saturday  morning, 
and  found  Mr.  Kirkman,  to  whom  the  flowers  were 
quite  a  godsend.  Eight  dollars  !  Hal  felt  richer  than 
ever. 

He  had  set  his  heart  upon  bu3'ing  some  Christmas 
gifts.  At  first  he  thought  he  would  break  the  fifty 
dollars  ;  but  it  was  so  near  the  end  of  the  month  that 


A  FLOWER   GARDEN  IN  DOORS.  235 

he  borrowed  a  little  from  Dr.  Meade  instead.  He 
came  home  laden  with  budgets  ;  but  both  Kit  and  Char- 
lie were  out,  fortunately. 

"  Now,  Grann}-,  you  will  keep  the  secret,"  he  Jtn- 
plored.  "  Don't  breathe  a  hint  of  it." 

Very  hard  work  Granny  found  it.  She  chuckled 
over  her  dish-washing  ;  and,  when  Dot  asked  what  was 
the  matter,  subsided  into  an  awful  solemnity.  But 
Wednesday  morning  soon  came. 

The}-  all  rushed  down  to  their  stockings,  which  Kit 
and  Charlie  had  insisted  upon  hanging  up  after  the 
olden  fashion.  Stockings  were  empty  however,  as 
Santj-  Claus'  gifts  were  rather  unwieldy-  for  so  small  -a 
receptacle. 

Kit  started  back  in  amazement.  A  im-sterious 
black  case  with  a  brass  handle  on  the  top. 

"  O  Hal !  you  are  the  dearest  old  chap  in  the 
world  ;  a  perfect  darling,  isn't  he  Granny  ?  and  I  never, 
never  can  thank  you.  I've  been  thinking  about  it  all 
the  time,  and  wondering  —  oh,  you  dear,  precious  fid- 
dle!" 

Kit  hugged  it ;  and  I  am  not  sure  but  he  kissed  it,  and 
capered  around  the  room  as  if  he  had  lost  his  senses. 

Charlie's  gift  was  a  drawing-book,  a  set  of  colored 
pencils,  and  a  new  dress ;  Granny's  a  new  dress ;  and 
Dot's  a  muff  and  tippet,  a  very  pretty  imitation  of 
ermine.  How  delighted  they  all  were!  Kit  could 
hardly  eat  a  mouthful  of  breakfast. 


236  THERE'S    NO    PLACE     LIKE    HOME. 

Granny  gave  them  a  royal  dinner.  Altogether  it- 
was  almost  as  good  as  the  Christmas  with  "The  old 
woman  who  lived  in  a  shoe." 

Yet  there  were  only  four  of  them  now.  How  they 
missed  the  two  absent  faces  ! 

Shortly  after  this  they  had  a  letter  from  Joe.  He 
had  actually  been  at  Canton,  seen  John  Chinaman  on 
his  native  soil  in  all  the  glory  of  pigtail  and  chop-stick. 
Such  hosts  of  funny  adventures  it  would  have  been 
hard  to  find  even  in  a  book.  He  meant  to  cruise 
around  in  that  part  of  the  world  until  he  was  tired,  for 
he  was  having  the  tallest  kind  of  sport. 

February  was  very  pleasant  indeed.  Hal  stirred  up 
the  soil  in  his  cold  frames,  and  planted  some  seeds. 
His  flowers  were  still  doing  very  well,  the  slips  having 
come  forward  beautifully.  On  the  whole,  it  had  proved 
a  rather  pleasant  winter,  and  they  had  been  very 
happy. 

Granny  declared  that  she  was  quite  a  lady.  No 
more  weaving  carpet,  or  going  out  to  work,  —  nothing 
but  "  puttering"  about  the  house.  She  was  becoming 
accustomed  to  the  care  of  the  flowers,  and  looked  after 
them  in  a  manner  that  won  Hal's  entire  heart. 

Easter  was  to  fall  very  early.  Mr.  Thomas  had 
engaged  all  Hal's  flowers,  and  begged  him  to  have  as 
many  white  ones  as  possible.  So  he  fed  the  callas  on 
warm  water,  with  a  little  spirits  of  ammonia  in  it,  and 
the  five  beautiful  stalks  grew  up,  with  their  fairy  haunt 


A  FLOWER-GARDEN  IN  DOORS.  237 

of  loveliness  and  fragrance.  Dot  used  to  look  at  them 
twenty  times  a  day,  as  the  soft  green  turned  paler  and 
paler,  bleaching  out  at  last  to  that  wonderful  creamy 
white  with  its  delicate  odor. 

Outside  he  transplanted  his  heads  of  lettuce,  sowed 
fresh  seeds  of  various  kinds,  and  began  to  set  slips  of 
geranium.  On  cold  or  stormy  days  they  kept  the 
glass  covered,  and  always  at  night.  It  was  marvel- 
loos,  the  way  every  thing  throve  and  grew.  It  seemed 
to  Hal  that  there  was  nothing  else  in  the  world  so 


Kit  had  began  to  take  lessons  on  his  violin ;  but  he 
soon  found  there  was  a  wide  dinerence  between  the 
absolute  drudgery  of  rudiments,  and  the  delicious 
dreams  of  melody  that  floated  through  his  brain. 
Sometimes  he  cried  over  the  difficulties,  and  felt 
tempted  to  throw  away  his  violin ;  then  he  and  Hal 
would  have  a  good  time  with  their  beloved  Charles 
Auchester,  when  he  would  go  on  with  renewed  courage. 

After  Easter  the  flowers  looked  like  mere  mecha. 
Hal  cut  most  of  the  roses  down,  trimmed  the  heliotrope 
and  fuchsias,  and  planted  verbenas.  His  pansies, 
which  had  come  from  seed,  looked  very  fine  and  thrifty, 
and  were  in  bud.  So  he  mentioned  that  he  would 
have  quite  a  number  of  bedding-plants  for  sale. 

Indeed,  the  fame  of  Hal's  green-house  spread  through 
Madison.  It  was  a  marvel  to  everybody,  how  he 
could  make  plants  grow  in  such  a  remarkable  fashion, 


238  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

and  under  not  a  few  disadvantages.  But  he  studied 
the  soil  and  habits  minutely ;  and  then  he  had  a 
"gift,"  —  as  much  of  a  genius  for  this,  as  Kit's  for 
music,  or  Charlie's  for  drawing. 

But  with  these  warm  spring  days  Hal  grew  very  pale 
and  thin.  It  seemed  to  him  sometimes  as  if  he  could 
not  endure  the  peculiar  wear  and  anxiety  of  the  school. 
There  were  thirt3'-five  scholars  now  ;  and,  although  he 
tried  to  keep  respectable  order,  he  found  it  very  hard 
work.  He  had  such  a  tender,  indulgent  heart,  that  he 
oftener  excused  than  punished. 

His  head  used  to  ache  dreadfully  in  the  afternoon, 
and  every  pulse  in  his  body  would  throb  until  it  seemed 
to  make  him  absolutely  sore.  The  gardening  and  the 
school  were  quite  too  much. 

"  Granny,"  said  Charlie  one  evening,  "  I  am  not 
going  to  school  any  more." 

Granny  opened  her  eyes  in  surprise. 

"  I  am  going  to  work." 

"To  work?" 

It  was  astonishing  to  hear  Charlie  declare  such  senti- 
ments. 

"Yes, — in  the  mill." 

"What  will  you  do?" 

"Sarah  Marshall  began  last  fall:  it's  cleaning 
specks  and  imperfections  out  of  the  cloth ;  not  very 
hard,  either,  and  the3r  give  her  four  and  a  half  a  week." 

"  That's  pretty  good,"  said  Granny. 


A  FLOWER-GARDEN  IN  DOORS.  239 

"  Yes.  I  shall  have  to  do  something.  I  hate 
housework  and  sewing,  and  —  I  want  some  money." 

"  I'm  sore  Hal's  as  good  as  an  angel." 

"  I  don't  want  Hal's.  Goodness  knows  !  he  has 
enough  to  do,  and  if  s  high  time  I  began  to  think 
about  myself." 

Granny  was  overwhelmed  with  admiration  at  Char- 
lie's spirit  and  resolution,  yet  she  was  not  quite  certain 
of  its  being  proper  until  she  had  asked  Ha1 

"  I  wish  she  wanted  to  learn  dressmaking  instead, 
or  to  teach  school ;  but  she  isn't  proud,  like  Flossy. 
And  now  she  is  growing  so  large  that  she  wants  nice 
clothes,  and  all  that." 

Yet  Hal  sighed  a  little.  Charlie  somehow  appeared 
to  be  lacking  in  refinement.  She  had  a  great  deal  of 
energy  and  persistence,  and  was  not  easily  daunted  or 
laughed  out  of  any  idea. 

"Though  I  think  she  will  make  a  nice  girl,"  said 
Hal,  as  if  he  had  been  indulging  in  a  little  treason. 
"  We  have  a  good  deal  to  be  thankful  for,  Granny." 

tl  Yes,  indeed!  And  dear,  brave  Joe  such  a  nice 
boy!" 

Hal  made  a  few  inquiries  at  the  mill.  They  would 
take  Charlie,  and  pay  her  two  dollars  a  week  for  the 
first  month,  after  that  by  the  piece ;  and,  if  she  was 
smart,  she  could  earn  three  or  four  dollars. 

So  Charlie  went  to  work  with  her  usual  sturdiness. 
If  they  could  have  looked  in  her  heart,  and  beheld 


240  THERE'S    NO    PLACE     LIKE    HOME. 

all  her  plans,  and  known  that  she  hated  this  as  bitterly 
as  washing  dishes  or  mending  old  clothes  ! 

On  the  first  of  June,  Hal  took  an  account  of  stock. 
They  had  been  quite  fortunate  in  the  sale  of  earl\r 
vegetables.  The  lettuce,  radishes,  and  tomato-plants 
had  done  beautifully.  For  cut-flowers  he  had  received 
fifty-two  dollars ;  for  bedding-plants,  —  scarlet  and 
other  geraniums,  and  pansies, — the  sum  had  amounted 
to  over  nine  dollars ;  for  vegetables  and  garden-plants, 
eleven.  They  had  not  incurred  any  extra  expense, 
save  the  labor. 

"  To  think  of  that,  Granny  !  Almost  seventy- five 
dollars !  And  on  such  a  small  scale  too  !  I  think  I 
could  make  gardening  pay,  if  I  had  a  fair  chance." 

Dr.  Meade  admitted  that  it  was  wonderful,  when  he 
heard  of  it. 

"I'm  not  sure  that  a  hot-house  would  pay  here  in 
Madison,  but  you  could  send  a  great  many  things  to 
New  York.  Any  how,  Hal,  if  I  were  rich  I  should 
build  you  one." 

"You  are  very  kind.  I  shouldn't  have  done  as 
well,  if  it  had  not  been  for  you." 

"  Tut,  tut !  That's  nothing.  But  I  don't  like  to 
see  you  growing  so  thin.  I  shall  have  to  prepare  you 
a  tonic.  You  work  too  hard." 

Hal  smiled  faintly. 

"  You  must  let  gardening  alone  for  the  next  six 
weeks.  And  the  school  isn't  the  best  thing  in  the 
world  for  you." 


A  FLOWER-GARDEN  JIT  DOORS.  241 

"  I've  been  very  thankful  for  it,  though/* 

"  If  YOU  stay  another  year,  the  salary  most  be  raised. 
Do  you  like  it?" 

"  Xot  as  well  as  gardening." 

"  Well,  take  matters  easy,"  advised  the  good  doctor. 

The  tonic  was  sent  over.  Hal  made  a  strong  fight 
against  the  languor;  but  the  enemy  was  rather  too 
stout  for  him.  Every  day  there  was  a  little  fever; 
and  at  night  he  tossed  from  side  to  side,  and  could  not 
sleep.  Granny  made  him  a  **  pitcher  of  tea,"  her 
great  cure-all, — valerian,  gentian,  and  wild-cherry, — 
in  a  pitcher  that  had  lost  both  handle  and  spout ;  and, 
though  he  drank  it  to  please  her,  it  did  not  appear  to 
help  him  any. 

It  seemed  to  him,  some  days,  that  he  never  could 
walk  home  from  school.  Now  and  then  he  caught  a 
ride,  to  be  sure ;  but  the  weary  step  after  step  on  these 
warm  afternoons  almost  used  up  his  hist  remnant  of 
strength. 

"  Now,"  said  Dr.  Meade  when  school  had  ended, 
••yon  really  must  begin  to  take  care  of  yourself. 
You  are  as  white  as  if  you  had  not  an  ounce  of  biood 
in  your  whole  body.  No  work  of  any  kind,  remem- 
ber. It  is  to  be  a  regular  vacation." 

Hal  acquiesced  from  sheer  inability  to  do  any  thing 
else.  The  house  was  quiet ;  for  Dot  never  had  been  a 
noisy  child  since  her  crying-days.  She  was  much  more 
like  Florence,  except  the  small  vanities,  and  air  of 


242  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

maityrdom,  that  so  often  spoiled  the  elder  sister's  sac- 
rifices, —  a  sweet,  affectionate  little  thing,  a  kind  of 
baby,  as  she  would  always  be. 

Her  love  for  Hal  and  Granny  was  perfect  devotion, 
and  held  in  it  a  strand  of  quaintness  that  made  ona 
smile.  She  could  cook  quite  nicely ;  and  sewing  ap- 
peared to  come  natural  to  her.  Hal  called  her  "  Small 
woman,"  as  an  especial  term  of  endearment. 

But  they  hardly  knew  what  to  make  of  Charlie. 
Instead  of  launching  out  into  gayeties,  as  they 
expected  (for  Charlie  was  very  fond  of  finery),  she 
proved  so  economical,  that  she  was  almost  stingy. 
She  gave  Granny  a  dollar  a  week ;  and  they  heard  she 
w*  j  earning  as  much  as  Sarah  Marshall  already.  In 
lact,  Charlie  was  a  Trojan  when  she  worked  in  good 
earnest. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  it  all?  "  Hal  would 
ask  playfully. 

"  Maybe  I'll  put  it  in  the  bank,  or  buy  a  farm." 

"Ho!"  said  Kit.  "What  would  you  do  with  a 
farm?" 

$<1  Hire  it  out  on  shares  to  Hal." 

"  You  are  a  good  girl,  Charlie  ;  and  it's  well  to  «ave 
a  little  'gainst  time  o'  need." 

Which  encomium  of  Granny's  would  always  settle 
the  matter. 

Hal  did  not  get  better.  Dr.  Meade  wanted  him  to 
go  to  the"  seaside  for  a  few  weeks. 


A  FLOWER-GARDEN  IN  DOORS.  243 

"  I  cannot  afford  it,"  he  said ;  "  and  I  shouldn't 
enjoy  it  a  bit  alone.  I  think  I  shall  be  better  when 
cool  weather  comes.  These  warm  days  seem  to  melt 
all  the  strength  out  of  me." 

*«  Well,  I  hope  so." 

Hal  hoped  so  too.  He  was  young ;  and  the  world 
looked  bright;  and  then  they  all  needed  him.  Not 
that  he  had  any  morbid  thoughts  of  dying,  only  some- 
times  it  cropped  his  mind.  He  had  never  been  quite 
so  well  and  strong  since  the  accident. 

For  Granny's  sake  and  for  Dot's  sake.  He  loved 
them  both  so  dearly;  and  they  seemed  so  peculiarly 
helpless,  —  the  one  in  her  shy  childhood,  the  other  on 
the  opposite  confine.  He  wanted  to  make  Granny's  life 
pleasant  at  the  last,  when  she  had  worked  so  hard  for 
all  of  them. 

But  God  would  do  what  was  best ;  though  Hal's  lip 
quivered,  and  an  unbidden  tear  dropped  from  the  sad 
eye. 

O  Florence !  had  you  forgotten  them? 


CHAPTER  XV. 

HOW  CHAELIE   RAN   AWAY. 

"TTTHERE  is  Charlie?"  asked  Hal  as   they  sat 
down  to  the  supper-table  one  evening. 

"  She  didn't  go  to  work  this  afternoon,  but  put  on 
her  best  clothes,  and  said  she  meant  to  take  a  holi 
day." 

"  Well,  the  poor  child  needed  it,  I  am  sure.  To 
think  of  our  wild,  heedless,  tomboy  Charlie  settling  into 
such  a  steady  girl ! " 

"  But  Charlie  always  was  good  at  heart.  I've  had 
six  of  the  best  and  nicest  grandchildren  you  could  pick 
out  anywhere,  if  I  do  say  it  myself." 

Granny  uttered  the  words  with  a  good  deal  of  pride. 

"  Yes,"  said  Kit :  "  we'll  be  a  what-is-it —  crown  to 
your  old  age." 

Granny  laughed  merrily. 

"Seven  children!"  appended  Kit.  "You  forgot 
my  fiddle." 

"Eight  children!"  said  Dot.  "You  forgot  Hal's 
flowers." 

Hal  smiled  at  this. 

244 


HOW  CHARLIE  RAN  AWAY.  245 

"  I  may  as  well  wash  the  dishes,"  exclaimed  Dot 
presently.  "  I  guess  Charlie  will  stay  oat  to  tea." 

Alter  that  they  sat  on  the  doorstep  in  the  moonlight, 
and  sang,  — Dot  with  her  head  in  Hal's  lap,  and  Hal's 
arm  around  Granny's  shoulder.  A  very  sacred  and 
solemn  feeling  seemed  to  come  to  them  on  this  evening, 
as  if  it  was  a  time  which  it  would  be  important  to 
remember. 

'•I  do  not  believe  Charlie  means  to  come  home 
to-nighi,"  Hal  said  when  the  clock  struck  ten. 

"But  she  has  on  her  best  clothes.  She  wouldn't 
wear  'em  to  the  mill." 

So  they  waited  a  while  longer.  No  Charlie.  Then 
they  kissed  each  other  good-night,  and  began  to  dis- 
perse. 

Hal  looked  into  the  deserted  flower-room,  which  was 
still  a  kind  of  library  and  cosey  place.  The  moonlight 
lay  ip  broad  white  sheets  on  the  floor,  quivering  like  a 
summer  sea.  How  strange  and  sweet  it  was !  How 
lovely  God  had  made  the  earth,  and  the  serene  heaven 
above  it ! 

Something  on  the  table  caught  his  eye  as  he  turned, 
—  a,  piece  of  folded  paper  like  a  letter.  He  wondered 
what  he  had  left  there,  and  picked  it  up  caidessly. 

*  To  Granny  and  Hal." 

Hal  started  in  the  utmost  surprise.     An  unsealed 
letter  in  Charlie's  handwriting,  which  had  never  been 
ti* 


246  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

remarkable  for  its  beauty.  He  trembled  all  over,  and 
stood  in  the  moonlight  to  read  it,  the  slow  tears  com- 
ing into  his  eyes. 

Should  he  go  down  and  tell  them?  Perhaps  it 
would  be  better  not  to  alarm  them  to-night.  Occa- 
sionally, when  it  had  rained,  Charlie  spent  the  night 
with  some  of  the  girls  living  near  the  mill :  so  Granny 
would  not  worry  about  her. 

O  brave,  daring,  impulsive  Charlie !  If  you  could 
have  seen  the  pain  in  Hal's  heart ! 

He  brought  the  letter  down  the  next  morning. 
'  "How  queer  it  is  that  Charlie  stays!"  said  Dot, 
toasting  some  bread.     "  O  Hal !  what's  the  matter?" 

"Nothing — only —  You'll  "at*ve  to  hear  it  some- 
time ;  and  'maybe  it  will  all  end  right.  Charlie's 
gone  away." 

"  Gone  away !  "  echoed  Granny. 

"  Yes.  She  left  a  letter.  I  found  it  last  night  in 
the  flower-room.  Let  me  read  it  to  you." 

Hal  cleared  his  throat.  The  others  stood  abso- 
lutely awe-stricken. 

"DEAR  GRANNY  AND  HAL, — You  know  I  always 
had  my  heart  set  on  running  away ;  and  I'm  going  to  do 
it  now,  because,  if  I  told  you  all  my  plans,  you  would 
say  they  were  quite  wild.  Perhaps  they  are.  Only  I 
shall  try  to  make  them  work  ;  and,  somehow,  I  think  I 
can.  I  have  sights  of  courage  and  hope.  But,  0 


HOW   CHARLIE  BAN  A  WAT.  247 

Granny !  I  couldn't  stay  in  the  mill :  it  was  like  put- 
ting me  in  prison.  I  hated  the  coarse  work,  the  dirt, 
the  noise,  and  the  smells  of  grease,  and  everybody 
there.  Some  days  I  felt  as  if  I  must  scream  and 
scream,  until  God  came  and  took  me  out  of  it.  But  I 
wanted  to  earn  some  money;  and  there  wasn't  any 
other  way  in  Madison  that  I  should  have  liked  any 
better.  I've  had  this  in  my  mind  ever  since  I  went  to 
work. 

"  I  can't  tell  you  all  my  plans,  — I  don't  even  know 
them  myself,  —  only  I  am  going  to  try ;  and,  if  I  can- 
not succeed,  I  shall  come  back.  I  have  twenty-five 
dollars  that  I've  saved.  And,  if  I  have  good  luck, 
you'll  hear  that  too.  Please  don't  worry  about  me.  I 
shall  find  friends,  and  not  get  into  any  trouble,  I  know. 

"  I  am  very  sorry  to  leave  you  all ;  but  then  I  kissed 
you  good-by,  —  Hal  and  Kit  this  morning,  when  I  said 
it  softly  in  my  heart ;  and  Dot  and  you,  dear  Granny, 
when  I  went  away.  I  had  it  all  planned  so  nicely,  and 
you  never  suspected  a  word.  I  shall  come  back  some 
time,  of  course.  And  now  you  must  be  happy  without 
me,  and  just  say  a  tiny  bit  of  prayer  every  night,  as  I 
shall  for  you,  and  never  fret  a  word.  Somehow  I  feel 
as  if  I  were  a  little  like  Joe ;  and  you  know  he  is  doing 
beautifully. 

"  Good-by  with  a  thousand  kisses.  Don't  try  to 
find  me ;  for  you  can't,  I  know.  I"l  \\rite  some  time 
again.  Tour  own  queer,  loving. 


248  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Well,  that's  too  good ! "  said  Kit,  breaking  the 
silence  of  tears.  ;'  Charlie  has  the  spunk  —  and  a 
girl  too !  " 

"  Oh !  "  sobbed  Granny,  "  she  don't  know  nothing  ; 
and  she'll  get  lost,  and  get  into  trouble." 

"  No,  she  won't,  either !  I'll  bet  on  Charlie.  And 
she  was  saving  up  her  money  for  that,  and  never  said  a 
word ! " 

Kit's  admiration  was  intense. 

"  It's  about  the  drawing  ;  and  she  has  gone  to  New 
York,  I  am  almost  sure,"  said  Hal.  "  Don't  cry, 
Granny  ;  for  somehow  I  think  Charlie  will  be  safe.  She 
is  good  and  honest  and  truthful." 

"  But  in  New  York !  And  she  don't  know  anybody 
there  "  — 

"  Maybe  she  has  gone  to  Mrs.  Burton's.  I  might 
write  and  see.  Or  there  is  Clara  Pennington  —  they 
moved  last  spring,  you  remember.  I'm  pretty  sure  wo 
shall  find  her." 

Hal's  voice  was  strong  with  hope.  Now  that  he  had 
to  comfort  Grann}-,  he  could  see  a  bright  side  himself. 

"  And  she  has  some  money  too." 

"She'll  do,"  said  Kit  decisively.  "And  if  that 
isn't  great !  She  coaxed  me  to  run  away  once  and  live 
in  the  woods  ;  but  I  think  this  is  better." 

"  Did  you  do  it?  "  asked  Dot. 

"  Yes.  We  came  near  setting  the  woods  on  fire ; 
and  didn't  we  get  a  joL'y  scolding !  Charlie's  a 
trump." 


HOW  CHARLIE  RAN  AW  AT.  249 

So  the}'  settled  themselves  to  the  fact  quite  calmly. 
Charlie  had  taken  the  best  of  her  clothes,  and  would  be 
prepared  for  present  emergencies. 

Before  the  day  was  over,  they  had  another  event  to 
startle  them. 

Dr.  Meade  tied  his  old  horse  to  the  ga.Vpost,  and 
came  in.  Granny  was  taking  a  little  rest  in  the  other 
room ;  and  Dot  was  up  stairs,  reading. 

"  Better  to-day,  eh?  "  said  the  doctor. 

"  I  believe  I  do  feel  a  little  better.  I  have  no',  had 
any  headache  or  fever  for  several  days." 

"  You'll  come  out  bright  as  a  blue-bird  next  spring. 

"  Before  that,  I  hope.  School  commences  next 
week." 

"  Then  you  have  heard  —  nothing?  " 

"  Was  there  any  thing  for  me  to  hear?" 

Hal  looked  up  anxiously ;  and  the  soft  brown  eyes, 
in  their  wistfulness,  touched  the  doctor's  heart. 

"  They've  served  you  and  me  a  mean  trick,  Hal," 
began  the  doctor  rather  warmly.  "  Some  of  it  was 
my  fault.  I  told  the  committee  that  you  would  not 
take  it  next  year  under  five  hundred  dollars." 

"  If  s  worth  that,"  said  Hal  quietly. 

"  Yes.  if  it  is  worth  a  cent.  Well,  Squire  Hainea 
has  had  a  niece  staying  with  him  who  has  taught 
w  uooi  in  Brooklyn  for  eight  or  ten  years,  —  a  great,  tall 
sharp  kind  of  a  woman ;  and  she  was  willing  to  com« 
for  the  old  salary.  She's  setting  her  cap  for  MTP 


250  THERE'S    NO    PLACE     LTKE     HOME. 

Raines's  brother,  I  can  see  that  fast  enough.  The 
squire,  he's  favored  her ;  and  they've  pushed  the  matter 
through." 

"  Then  Miss  Perkins  has  it ! "  Hal  exclaimed  with  a 
gasp,  feeling  as  if  he  were  stranded  on  the  lee-shore. 

"Exactly.  And  I  don't  know  but  it  is  best.  To 
tell  the  truth,  Hal,  you  are  not  strong,  and  you  did 
work  too  hard  last  year.  You  want  rest ;  but  you'll 
never  be  able  to  go  into  the  battle  rough  and  tumble. 
I  may  as  well  tell  you  this." 

"  Do  you  think  I  shall  neA'er  "  —  Hal's  lip  quivered. 

"'  The  fall  gave  you  a  great  shock,  you  see  ;  and  then 
the  confinement  in  school  was  altogether  wrong.  You 
want  quiet  and  ease ;  and  I  do  think  this  flower-busi- 
ness will  be  the  very  thing  for  you.  I've  been  casting 
it  over  in  my  mind  ;  and  I  have  a  fancy  that  another 
spring  I'll  be  able  to  do  something  for  you.  Keep 
heart,  my  boy.  It's  darkest  just  before  the  dawn,  you 
know." 

"  You  are  so  kind ! "  and  the  brown  eyes  filled  with 
tears. 

"  It  will  all  come  out  right,  I'm  pretty  sure.  This 
winter's  rest  will  be  just  the  thing  for  you.  Now,  don't 
fret  yourself  back  to  the  old  point  again  ;  for  you  have 
improved  a  little.  And,  if  you  want  any  thing,  come 
to  me.  We  all  get  in  tight  places  sometimes." 

Hal  repeated  this  to  Dot  and  Granny  ;  and  when  Kit 
came  home  he  heard  the  "  bad  news,"  over  which  he 
looked  Trery  sober. 


HOW  CHARLIE  RAN  AW  AT.  251 

"  But  then  it  might  be  worse,"  said  Hal  cheerily ; 
for  he  was  never  sad  long  at  a  time.  "  We  have 
almost  a  hundred  dollars,  and  I  shall  try  to  make  my 
flowers  more  profitable  this  winter." 

And  the  best  of  all  was,  Hal  did  begin  to  feel  bet- 
ter. The  terrible  weakness  seemed  to  yield  at  last  to 
some  of  the  good  doctor's  tonics,  his  appetite  im- 
proved, and  he  could  sleep  quite  well  once  more. 

At  this  juncture  Kit  found  an  opening. 

"They'll  take  me  in  the  melodeon-factory  over  at 
Salem,"  he  announced  breathlessly  one  evening. 
"  Mr.  Briggs  told  me  of  it,  and  I  went  to  see.  I  can 
board  with  Mr.  Halsey,  the  foreman ;  and  oh,  can't  he 
play  on  the  violin !  He  will  go  on  teaching  me,  and  I 
can  have  my  board  and  four  dollars  a  month." 

««  Well,  I  declare !"  ejaculated  Granny.  "What 
next?" 

"  Then  you  won't  have  me  to  take  care  of  this  win- 
ter. I'm  about  tired  of  going  to  school,  and  that's 
nice  business.  I  can  come  home  every  Saturday 
night." 

"  Yes,"  said  Hal  thoughtfully. 

"  I  do  believe  Mr.  Halsey's  taken  a  great  liking  '.o 
me.  He  wants  you  to  come  over,  Hal,  and  have  a 
talk." 

So  Hal  went  over.  The  prospect  appeared  very 
fair.  Kit  had  some  mechanical  genius  ;  but  building 
melodeons  would  be  much  more  to  his  taste  than  build 
ing  houses. 


252  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  It  has  a  suggestion  of  music  in  it,"  laughed  Hal. 

So  the  bargain  was  concluded.  About  the  m_ddie 
of  September,  Kit  started  for  Salem  and  business. 

But  oh,  how  lonely  the  old  house  was !  All  the 
mirth  and  mischief  gone  !  It  seemed  to  Granny  that  she 
would  be  quite  willing  to  go  out  washing,  and  weave 
carpets,  if  she  could  have  them  all  children  once  more. 

There  was  plenty  of  room  in  the  Old  Shoe  now. 
One  bed  in  the  parlor  held  Dot  and  Granny.  No 
cradle  with  a  baby  face  in  it,  no  fair  girl  with  golden 
curls  sewing  at  the  window.  Tabby  sat  unmolested 
in  the  chimney-corner.  No  one  turned  back  her  ears. 
or  put  walnut-shells  over  her  claws  ;  no  one  made  her 
dance  a  jig  on  her  hind-legs,  or  bundled  her  in  shawls 
until  she  was  smothered,  and  had  to  give  a  pathetic 
m-i-a-o-u  in  self-defence. 

Oh,  the  gay,  laughing,  tormenting  children ! 
Always  clothes  to  mend,  cut  fingers  and  stubbed  toes 
to  doctor,  quarrels  to  settle,  noises  to  quell,  to  tumble 
over  one  here  and  another  there,  to  have  them  cross 
with  the  measles  and  forlorn  with  the  mumps,  but 
coming  back  to  fun  again  in  a  day  or  two,  —  the  dear, 
troublesome,  vanished  children ! 

Many  a  time  Granny  cried  alone  by  herself.  It  was 
right  that  they  should  grow  into  men  and  women  ;  but 
oh,  the  ache  and  emptiness  it  left  in  her  poor  old 
heart !  And  it  seemed  as  if  Tabby  missed  them ;  foi 
LOW  and  then  she  would  put  her  paws  on  the  oJ4  win 


HOW    CHARLIE  RAN  AW  AT.  253 

oow-«eat,  stretching  oat  her  fall  length,  and  look  up 
and  down  the  street,  uttering  a  mournful  cry. 

One  day  Dot  brought  home  a  letter  from  the  store 
directed  to  Hal 

"  Why,  if  s  Charlie ! "  he  said  with  a  great  cry  of 
joy  and  confusion  of  person.  "  Dear  old  Charlie '  ** 

He  tore  it  open  with  hasty,  trembling  fingers. 

"  DEAR  HAI.  ASD  GRAXXY,  —  Tm  like  Joe,  happy  as 
n  big  sunflower !  I  can't  tell  you  half  nor  quarter ;  so  I 
shall  not  try,  bat  save  it  all  against  the  time  I  come 
home ;  for  I  am  coming.  Every  thing  is  just  splendid ! 
It  wasn't  so  nice  at  first,  and  one  day  I  felt  almost 
homesick ;  but  it  came  oat  right.  Oh,  dear !  I  want 
to  see  you  so,  and  tell  you  all  the  wonderful  things  that 
have  happened  to  me,  —  just  like  a  story-book.  I  think 
of  you  all,  —  Hal  in  his  school,  Granny  busy  about 
the  house,  Dot,  the  little  darling,  sweet  as  ever, 
and  a  whole  roomful  of  flowers  up-stairs,  and  Kit 
playing  on  his  violin.  Did  you  miss  me  much?  I 
missed  the  dear  old  home,  the  sweet  kisses,  and  tender 
voices ;  but  some  day  I  shall  have  them  again.  I  never 
forget  you  a  moment ;  but  oh,  oh,  oh !  Thaf  s  all  I  can 
say.  There  are  not  words  enough  to  express  all  the 
rest.  Don't  forget  me ;  but  love  me  just  the  same.  A 
thousand  kisses  to  all  you  children  left  in  the  old  shoe, 
and  another  thousand  to  Granny. 

"  Your  own  dear  CHABUB." 


254  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Hal's  eyes  were  full  of  tears.  To  tell  the  truth, 
they  had  a  good  crying-time  before  any  of  them  could 
speak  a  word. 

"  Dear,  brave  Charlie !  She  and  Joe  are  alike. 
Granny,  I  don't  know  but  they  are  the  children  to  be 
proud  of,  after  all." 

"Where  is  she?"  asked  Granny,  wiping  her  nose 
violently. 

"Why,  there  isn't  a  bit  of — address  —  to  it;  and 
the  post-mark  —  begins  with  an  N  —  but  all  the  rest 
is  blurred.  She  means  to  wait  until  she  comes  home, 
and  tell  us  the  whole  story ;  and  she  will  not  give  us 
an  opportunity  to  write,  for  fear  we  will  ask  some 
questions.  She  means  to  keep  up  her  running  away." 

They  were  all  delighted,  and  had  to  read  the  letter 
over  and  over  again. 

"  She  must  be  in  New  York  somewhere,  and  study- 
ing drawing.  I've  a  great  mind  to  v/rite  at  a  ven- 
ture." 

"  And  she  will  come  home,"  crooned  Granny  softly. 

"  I'm  glad  she  thinks  us  all  so  happy  and  prosper- 
ous," said  Hal. 

I  shall  have  to  tell  you  how  it  fared  with  Charlif 
and  not  keep  you  waiting  until  they  heard  the  story 

She  had  indeed  followed  out  her  old  plan.     Child  us 

\he  was,  when   she   went  to   work   in  the    mill    on? 

towded  all  her  wild  dreams   down  in  the  depths  of 

her  heart.     No  one  ever  knew  what  heroic  sacrifices 


HOW  CHARLIE  RAN  AW  AT.  255 

Charlie  Kenneth  made.  She  was  fond  of  dress,  and 
just  of  an  age  when  a  bright  ribbon,  a  pretty  hat, 
and  a  dozen  other  dainty  trifles,  seem  to  add  so  much 
V>  one's  happiness. 

But  she  resolutely  eschewed  them  all.  Week  by 
week  her  little  hoard  gained  slowly,  every  day  bring- 
ing her  nearer  the  hour  of  freedom.  She  planned,  too, 
more  practical  1}-  than  any  one  would  have  supposed. 
And  one  evening  she  smuggled  a  black  travelling-bag 
into  the  house,  hiding  it  in  a  rubbish-closet  until  she 
could  pack  it. 

She  seized  her  opportunity  at  noon,  to  get  it  out  un- 
observed ;  and,  putting  it  in  an  out-of-the-way  corner, 
dragged  some  pea-brush  over  it,  that  gave  it  the  look 
of  a  pile  of  rubbish.  Then  she  dressed  herself,  and 
said  her  good-bj-s  gayl}*,  but  with  a  trembling  heart, 
and  went  off  to  take  her  holiday. 

Charlie  tugged  her  bag  to  the  depot,  and  bought  a 
ticket  for  Newbury.  Then  she  seated  herself  in  great 
state,  and  really  began  to  enjoy  the  adventure.  She 
wondered  how  people  could  spend  all  their  lives  in  a 
little  humdrum  place  like  Madison. 

At  Newbury  she  bought  a  ticket  for  New  York. 
Then  she  sat  thinking  what  she  should  do.  A  family 
by  the  name  of  Wilcox  had  left  Madison  two  years 
before,  and  gone  to  New  York.  The  mother  was  a 
clever,  ignorant,  good-hearted  sort  of  woman,  of 
whom  Charlie  Kenneth  had  been  rather  fond  in  Lei 


256  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

childish  days.  Mary  Jane,  the  daughter,  had  paid  a 
flying  visit  to  Madison  that  spring,  and  Cha/lie  had 
heard  her  describe  the  route  to  her  house  in  Fourteenth 
Street.  This  was  where  she  puqaosed  to  go. 

The  cars  stopped.  The  passengers  left  in  a  crowd, 
Charlie  following.  If  they  were  going  to  New  York, 
she  would  not  get  lost.  So  the  ferry  was  crossed  in 
safety.  Then  she  asked  a  policeman  to  direct  her  to 
City  Hall.  A  little  ragged  urchin  pestered  her  about 
carrying  her  bag,  but  it  was  too  precious  to  be  trusted 
to  strangers. 

She  saw  the  Third-avenue  cars  ;  but  how  was  she  to 
get  to  them?  The  street  seemed  blocked  up  contin- 
ually. By  and  by  a  policeman  piloted  her  across,  and 
saw  her  safely  deposited  in  the  car. 

Charlie  paid  her  fare,  and  told  the  conductor  to  stop 
at  Fourteenth  Street ;  but,  after  riding  a  while,  she 
began  to  look  out  for  herself.  What  an  endless  way  it 
was  !  and  where  did  all  the  people  come  from  ?  Could 
it  be  possible  that  there  were  houses  enough  for  them 
to  live  in  ?  Ah  !  here  was  her  corner. 

She  turned  easterly,  watching  for  the  number. 
There  was  Mrs.  Wilcox's  frowsy  head  at  the  front 
basement  window  ;  and  Charlie  felt  almost  afraid  to 
ling  at  the  front-door,  so  she  tried  that  lowly  entrance. 

"  Come  in,"  said  a  voice  in  response  to  her  knock. 

It  was  evident  she  had  grown  out  of  Mrs.  Wilcox's 
remembrance,  so  she  rather  awkwardly  introduced  her- 
self. 


HOW  CHARLfl    &AX  AW  AT.  257 

"Charlie  Kenneth!  The  land  sakes!  How  you 
have  growed !  Why,  I'm  right  glad  to  see  you.  How 
is  Granny  and  all  the  children,  and  ail  the  folks  a> 
Madison?" 

Charlie  "lumped"  them,  and  answered,  "Pretty 
welL" 

"Did  yon  come  down  all  alone?  And  how  did  you 
find  us?  Mary  Jane  11  be  powerful  glad  to  see  yon. 
Ain't  yon  most  tired  to  death  luggin'  that  heavy  bag? 
Do  take  off  your  things,  and  get  rested." 

Charlie  complied.  Mrs.  Wilcox  went  on  with  her 
endless  string  of  questions,  even  after  she  rose  to  set 
the  supper-table. 

"And  so  Florence  is  married.  Strange  you've 
never  heard  about  her.  She's  so  rich  and  grand  that  I 
s'pose  she  don't  want  to  remember  poor  relations. 
And  Hal's  been  a  teachin'  school !  Why,  you're  quite 
gettin'  up  in  the  world." 

Mary  Jane  soon  made  her  appearance.  A  flirting, 
flippant  girl  of  sixteen,  rather  good-looking,  and 
trimmed  up  with  ribbons  and  cheap  furbelows.  She 
appeared  glad  to  see  Charlie,  and  all  the  questions 
were  asked  over  again.  Then  Mr.  Wilcox  came  in, 
washed  his  hands  and  face,  and  they  sat  down  to  sup- 
per. Before  they  were  half  through,  Tom  and  Ed 
came  tumbling  in,  full  of  fun  and  nonsense. 

"  Boys,  be  still ! "  said  their  father ;  which  admo- 
nition they  heeded  for  about  the  space  of  ten  seconds 


258  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE     HOME. 

Mary  Jane  rose  from  the  table  as  soon  as  she  had 
finished  her  supper. 

"  Charlie'll  sleep  with  me,  of  course,"  she  said. 
*'  Bring  your  bag  and  your  things  up  stairs,  Charlie." 

Charlie  followed  her  to  the  third  stonr,  —  a  very 
fair-sized  room,  but  with  an  appearance  of  general 
untidiness  visible  everywhere. 

"You  can  hang  up  your  clothes  in  that  closet,"  in- 
dicating it  with  her  head.  "  Did  you  go  to  work  in 
the  mill,  Charlie?" 

"  Yes." 

"Didn't  you  like  it?" 

"Not  very  much,"  slowly  shaking  out  her  clean 
calico  dress. 

"  I  shouldn't,  either.     "What  did  you  earn?" 

"  Sometimes  four  dollars  and  a  half." 

"  I  earn  six,  week  in  and  week  out.  Then  1  do  a 
little  over-work  every  day,  which  gives  me  Saturday 
afternoon.  Charlie,  why  don't  you  stay  ?  " 

Mary  Jane  was  taking  down  her  hair,  and  turned 
round  suddenly. 

"  I  thought  I  would ; "  and  Charlie  blushed.  "  I've 
saved  up  a  little  money,  enough  to  pay  my  board  for  a 
few  weeks,  until  I  can  find  something  to  do." 

"  Flower-making  is  first-rate.  Some  of  the  girls 
earn  ten  dollars  a  week.  I've  only  been  at  it  a  }Tcar, 
you  see.  They  pay  a  dollar  a  week  while  you've  learn- 
ing. Shall  I  try  to  get  you  in  ?  " 


HOW  CHARLIE  RAN  AW  AT.  259 

"  I  don't  know  yet,"  was  the  hesitating  answer. 

"  TVhat  makes  you  wear  your  hair  short,  Charlie?" 

"  Why  —  I  like  it  so.     It's  no  trouble." 

' '  But  it's  so  childish  ! :; 

Mary  Jane  was  arranging  a  wonderful  waterfall.  On 
the  top  of  this  she  hung  a  cluster  of  curls,  and  on  the 
top  of  her  head  she  tied  in  a  bunch  of  frizettes  with 
a  scarlet  ribbon." 

"  Now,  that's  what  I  call  stylish ;  "  and  she  turned 
round  to  Charlie.  "  If  I  was  you,  I'd  let  my  hair 
grow  ;  and,  as  soon  as  it  is  long  enough  to  tie  in  a  little 
knot,  you  can  buy  a  waterfall." 

Charlie  was  quite  bewildered  with  these  manifold 
adornments. 

Then  Mary  Jane  put  on  a  white  dress,  a  red  carved 
ivory  pin  and  ear-rings,  and  presented  quite  a  gor- 
geous appearance. 

"  Charlie,  I've  been  thinking —  why  can't  }*ou  board 
here?  I  pay  mother  two  dollars  a  week,  and  you 
could  just  as  well  have  part  of  my  room.  Mother 
wanted  me  to  let  the  boys  have  it,  because  there  were 
two  of  them ;  but  I  wanted  plenty  of  room.  Yes :  it 
would  be  real  nice  to  have  you  here.  I'll  ask  mother. 
I  know  you  can  find  something  to  do." 

A  great  load  seemed  lifted  from  Charlie's  heart. 

Then  they  went  down  to  the  next  floor.  The  boya 
had  the  hall  bedroom,  and  the  back  room  was  used  by 
the  heads  of  the  family.  There  were  two  large  pantries 


260  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

between,  and  then  a  front  parlor.  Charlie  was  quite 
stunned ;  for  the  place  appeared  fully  as  gorgeous  as 
Mar}r  Jane.  A  cheap  Brussels  carpet  in  bright  colors, 
the  figure  of  which  ran  all  over  the  floor  ;  two  immense 
vases  on  the  mantle,  where  grotesque  Chinese  figures 
were  disporting  on  a  bright  green  ground ;  a  rather 
shabby  crimson  plush  rocker ;  and  some  quite  impossi- 
ble sunsets  done  in  oil,  with  showy  wide  gilt  frames. 
Mrs.  Wilcox  had  purchased  them  at  auction,  and  con- 
sidered them  a  great  bargain. 

Then  Mary  Jane,  with  a  great  deal  of  giggling  and 
blushing,  confessed  to  Charlie  that  she  had  a  beau. 
"  A  real  nice  young  man,"  clerk  in  a  dry-goods  store, 
Walter  Brown  by  name,  and  that  he  came  almost 
every  evening. 

"You  can't  help  liking  him,"  was  the  positive 
assertion.  "I  wish  you  didn't  have  short  hair,  nor 
'ook  so  much  like  a  little  girl ;  for  you  are  as  tall  as  I 
am." 

Which  was  very  true ;  but  Charlie  felt  herself  quite 
a  child,  and  veiy  much  startled  at  the  idea  of  beaux. 

Mary  Jane  took  out  some  embroidery,  and  did  not 
deign  to  revisit  the  kitchen.  A  trifle  after  eight 
Mr.  Brown  made  his  appearance,  looking  neat  as  a 
pink,  and  nearly  a.i$  sweet  with  perfume.  For  the  firsi 
time  in  her  life,  Charlie  was  painfully  bashful.  When 
he  proposed  a  walk  to  an  ice-cream  saloon,  she  would 
fain  have  remained  at  home ;  but  Mary  Jane  over- 
ruled. 


HOW  CHARLIE  RAN  AW  AT.  261 

The  walk  was  quite  pleasant,  and  the  cream  a  posi- 
tive treat.  Charlie  said  some  very  bright  things, 
which  Mr.  Brown  appeared  to  consider  exceedingly 
funny.  Then  the3*  rambled  around  a  while  ;  and  when 
the  7  returned,  Mary  Jane  lingered  at  the  hall-door  to 
have  a  little  private  talk,  while  Cbirlie  ran  up  stairs. 
Mrs.  Wilcox  sat  in  the  parlor  fanning  herself,  and 
eagerly  questioned  the  child  as  to  where  they  had  been, 
and  how  she  liked  New  York. 

Tired  and  excited,  Charlie  went  to  bed  at  last ;  but 
she  could  not  sleep.  The  strange  place,  the  tinkle  of 
the  car-bells,  the  noises  in  the  streets,  and,  most  of  all, 
her  own  thoughts,  kept  her  wakeful.  She  could  hardly 
believe  that  she  had  achieved  her  great  ambition,  and 
actually  run  away.  On  the  whole,  it  was  rather  comi- 
cal. 

Had  they  found  her  letter  yet?  What  did  Hal  and 
Granny  think  ?  Would  they  be  very  much  worried  ? 

And  if  she  only  could  find  out  something  about  pic- 
tures, and  begin  to  work  in  good  earnest  at  the  right 
thing.  It  was  as  much  to  her  as  the  flowers  were  to 
dear  Hal.  God  bless  and  keep  them  all ! 


CHAFPER  XVI. 

ALMOST    DISCOURAGED. 

/CHARLIE  was  really  tired  on  Friday,  and  did  not 
^-^  feel  equal  to  making  any  effort ;  so  she  assisted 
Mrs.  Wilcox  with  the  housework,  and  tidied  up  Mary 
Jane's  room  until  one  would  hardly  have  known  it. 
But  every  thing  seemed  so  strange  and  new. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  she  gained  courage  to  say,  — 

"  Did  Mary  Jane  tell  you,  Mrs.  Wilcox,  that  — I'd 
like  to  stay  ?  " 

"  Yes.  And  so  you  really  came  to  York  to  get 
something  to  do !  I  s'pose  there's  such  a  host  of  you 
at  home ! " 

Charlie  swallowed  over  a  lump  in  her  throat.  Per- 
haps she  was  not  a  little  glad  that  Mrs.  Wilcox  did 
not  suspect  her  unorthodox  manner  of  leaving  Madi- 
son. 

"  I  mean  to  find  something  to  do.  And  if  you 
would  board  me  "  — 

"  Now..  Charlie  Kenneth !  first  you  stay  and  make  a 
visit,  and  see  what  you  ca*i  find,  before  you  talk  of 


ALMOST  DISCOURAGED.  263 

payin'  board.  Thank  Heaven  !  I  never  begrudged  any 
one  a  meal's  vittles  or  a  night's  sleep.  Your  poor 
old  grandmother's  slaved  herself  half  to  death  for  you, 
and  I'm  glad  to  see  you  have  some  spunk." 

44  Th-n,  you'll  let  me  stay?"  and  a  soft  flush  of 
relief  stole  over  Charlie's  face. 

"  Stay  ! "  rather  indignantly.  "  Xo  one  ever  heard 
of  Hannah  Wilcox  turnin'  people  out  o'  doors.  Your 
Granny  has  done  more  than  one  good  turn  for  me." 

"  But  I've  saved  some  money  to  pay  my  board  "  — 

"  I  won't  take  a  cent  of  it  till  you  get  to  work, 
there,  now !  Jest  you  never  fret  yourself  a  word. 
It'll  all  come  right,  I  know." 

"  I'm  very  much  obliged,"  said  Charlie,  feeling  as 
if  she  would  like  to  cry. 

"  Mary  Jane  spoke  of  a  chance  of  getting  you  at 
the  flowers.  If  s  light,  easy  work,  —  I  tell  her  jest  like 
play.  But  you  must  have  a  visit  first." 

On  Saturday  Mary  Jane  came  home  at  noon. 

"  I  do  think  Charlie  Kenneth's  earned  a  holiday," 
said  Mrs.  Wilcox.  "  I  couldn't  begin  to  tell  the  things 
that  girl's  done  this  mornin*.  Swept  and  dusted,  and 
helped  me  clean  the  closet "  — 

"Then  you're  in  clover,  mother;  "and  Mary  Jane 
laughed.  "  I  never  could  bear  to  do  housework." 

" A  great  kind  of  a  wife  you'll  make." 

"  That  will  be  some  one  else's  look  out ;"  and  Mary 
Jane  tossed  her  head  in  a  curiously  satisfied  manner. 


264  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

They  took  a  promenade  on  Broadway  in  the  after- 
noon. Charlie  was  delighted ;  and  the  shop-windows 
entertained  her  bej-ond  description.  They  bought 
some  trifles,  —  a  pair  of  gloves,  a  collar,  and  a  ribbon 
or  two,  —  and  Charlie  found  that  money  absolutely 
melted  away.  She  had  spent  four  dollars. 

She  summoned  courage  to  question  Mary  Jane  a 
little,  but  found  her  exceedingly  ignorant  on  the  great 
topic  that  absorbed  her. 

"  I  believe  girls  do  color  photographs  in  some 
places,  but  then  you'd  have  to  know  a  good  deal  to 
get  a  situation  like  that.  I  guess  only  rich  girls  have 
a  chance  to  learn  drawing  and  painting." 

"But  when  it  comes  natural,"  said  Charlie  slowly. 

"Well,  I'll  ask  him;"  and  Mary  Jane  smiled,  and 
nodded  her  head.  "  He  knows  most  every  thing." 

"Are  you  going  to  marry  him?"  Charlie  asked 
innocently,  understanding  the  pronoun. 

"Oh,  I  don't  know  ! "  with  a  toss  of  the  head.  "  I 
mean  to  have  some  fun  first.  Some  girls  have  lots  of 
beaux." 

Charlie  colored.  She  had  not  the  judgment  or  the 
experience  to  assist  her  in  any  sort  of  analysis ;  but 
she  felt  that  these  Wilcoxes  were  very  different  from 
their  household.  They  had  always  been  poor,  lived  in 
an  old  tumble-down  cottage,  with  a  bed  in  the  parlor ; 
were  a  noisy,  frolicksome,  romping  set ;  given  to 
slang,  Flossy's  great  abhorrence  ;  and  yet  —  there  was 


ALMOST  DISCOURAGED.  265 

a  clean,  pure  element  in  them  all,  —  a  kind  of  uncon- 
scious refinement.  Florence's  fine-ladyisms  had  not 
been  entirely  useless  or  wasted. 

Refinement  was  the  idea  floating  so  dimly  through 
Charlie's  brain.  In  after  years  she  understood  the 
force  of  Hal's  example,  and  the  many  traits  Joe  had 
laughed  at  as  being  girlish.  But  now  she  could  only 
feel  that  there  was  a  great  gulf  between  her  and  Mary 
Jane ;  that  the  latter  could  not  enter  into  her  hopes 
and  ambitions. 

However,  Charlie's  drawings  were  brought  to  Mr. 
Brown  for  inspection. 

"  Why,  you're  a  regular  genius  !  "  he  exclaimed  in 
surprise. 

Charlie  colored  with  delight,  and  every  nerve 
seemed  to  expand  with  precious  hope. 

"  It  is  a  great  pity  that  you  are  not  a  man." 

"  Why?"  and  Charlie  opened  her  large  eyes  wonder- 
ingly. 

"Because  then  you  could  do  something  with  your  tal- 
ent. All  these  comic  pictures  in  papers  are  designed 
by  men ;  and  they  sometimes  travel  about,  writing  de- 
scriptions of  places,  and  drawing  little  sketches  to  go 
with  them.  It  is  capital  business." 

"  That  is  what  I  should  like ; "  and  Charlie's  face 
glowed. 

"  But  girls  and  women  never  do  it.  Ifs  altogether 
out  of  their  sphere.  You  see,  that  is  one  of  the  disad- 
vantages." 23 


266  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Mr.  Brown  uttered  this  dogmatically. 

"  But  if  they  know  how,  and  can  do  it "  — 

"  They  couldn't  travel  about  alone,  running  into 
dangers  of  all  kinds.  And  it  is  just  here.  Now, 
some  of  these  sketches  are  as  good  as  you  see  in  the 
papers  ;  but  no  one  would  think  of  buying  them  of  a 
woman,  because  it  is  men's  work." 

Charlie  winked  the  tears  out  of  her  eyes.  The  argu 
ment  was  crushing,  for  she  could  not  refute  the  lame 
ness  of  the  logic ;  and  she  had  always  felt  sore  about 
being  a  girl. 

"  They  teach  women  to  draw  and  paint  down  here 
at  Cooper  Institute,"  he  said  presently. 

"  But  I  suppose  it  costs  a  good  deal?"  and  Charlie 
sighed. 

"  Yes." 

"  These  things  are  for  rich  people,"  said  Mary  Jane 
with  an  air  of  authority. 

Charlie  could  not  summon  heart  to  question  further : 
besides,  she  had  some  ideas  in  her  brain.  Ma}"be  she 
might  sell  her  pictures  to  some  newspaper.  Any  how, 
she  would  try. 

She  began  the  week  with  this  determination.  On 
Monday  she  dressed  herself  carefull}-,  and  gave  her 
face  a  rather  rigorous  inspection.  It  did  look  very 
little-girlish.  And  somehow  she  wished  her  hair 
vs  asn't  short,  and  that  she  could  be  handsome.  Who 
ever  heard  of  such  dark  eyes  and  light  hair,  such  a 


ALMOST  DISCOURAGED.  267 

peculiar  tint  too,  —  a  kind  of  Quaker-drab ;  not  golden 
nor  auburn  nor  chestnut.  Well,  she  was  as  she  grew, 
and  she  couldn't  help  any  of  it . 

By  dint  of  inquiring  now  and  then,  she  found  her 
way  about  pretty  well.  Her  first  essay  was  in  the 
office  of  an  illustrated  paper. 

The  man  listened  to  her  story  with  a  peculiar  sharp 
business  air,  and  merely  said,  — 

"  Xo :  we  don't  want  any  thing  of  the  kind." 

Charlie  felt  that  she  could  not  say  another  word, 
and  walked  out. 

She  stood  a  long  while  looking  in  the  window  of  a 
print-shop,  and  at  last  ventured  again. 

This  person  was  less  brusque. 

"  My  little  girl,"  he  said,  "  we  ncrer  do  any  thing 
with  such  matters.  We  buy  our  pictures,  printed  or 
painted,  or  engravings,  as  the  case  may  be.  from  all 
parts  of  the  world.  Many  of  them  are  copies  from 
different  artists  well  known  to  fame.  It  costs  a  great 
deal  for  the  plate  of  a  picture." 

Which  explanation  was  quite  unintelligible  to  Char- 
tie. 

She  rambled  on  until  she  came  to  a  bookstore 
There  being  only  a  boy  within,  she  entered. 

"Do  you  ever  buy  any  pictures  for  books?"  she 
asked. 

"  Books  anus  have  pictures  in  'em,"  was  the  oracu 
lar  reply. 


268  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  But  who  makes  them?  " 

"  Why,  engravers,  of  course  ;  "  with  supreme  aston- 
ishment at  her  ignorance. 

"  And  they  —  do  the  thinking,  — plan  the  picture,  I 
mean  ?  " 

"  What?"  asked  the  boy,  as  if  Charlie  had  spoken 
Greek. 

"  Some  one  must  have  the  idea  first." 

He  could  not  controvert  it,  and  stared  about  help- 
lessly. 

"  Are  there  any  lady  engravers?  " 

"  No,  I  guess  not ; "  scratching  his  head. 

"  And  who  makes  these  little  pictures  of  children 
like  this  girl  teaching  the  dog  to  read,  and  this  one 
with  the  flowers  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  know  what  you  want !  "  exclaimed  the  boy. 
"  We  gets  'em  down  in  Ann  Street.  There's  some 
girls  working  in  the  place.  Do  you  know  where  Ann 
Street  is?" 

Some  of  Charlie's  old  humor  cropped  out. 

"  No,  nor  Polly  Street,  nor  Jemima  Street." 

The  boy  studied  her  sharply,  but  preserved  a  sullen 
silence,  strongly  suspecting  that  he  was  being  laughed 
at. 

"  Will  you  please  tell  me?"  quite  meekly.  "And 
—  the  man's  name." 

The  boy  found  a  card,  and  directed  her.  Charlie 
trudged  on  with  a  light  heart. 


ALMOST  DISCOURAGED.  269 

The  place  was  up  two  flights  of  very  dirty  steps. 
Mr.  Baleour  had  gone  out  to  dinner,  and  she  was 
rather  glad  of  an  excuse  to  rest.  In  the  adjoining 
room  there  were  three  girls  laughing  and  chatting. 
Xow,  if  she  could  come  here  to  work ! 

When  Mr.  Balcour  entered,  Charlie  found  him  a 
very  pleasant-looking  man.  She  made  known  her 
errand  with  but  little  hesitation. 

"  It  is  something  of  a  mistake,"  was  the  smiling 
answer.  "  My  business  is  coloring  prints,  flower- 
pieces,  and  all  that.  Sometimes  they  are  sent  to  me, 
but  these  little  things  I  buy  by  the  hundred  or  thousand, 
and  color  them ;  then  picture-dealers,  Sunday-schools, 
&c..  come  in  here  to  purchase." 

With  that  he  displayed  cases  of  birds,  flowers, 
fancy  scenes,  and  tiny  landscapes. 

"  Oh,  how  beautiful  they  are ! "  and  she  glanced 
them  over  with  delight.  *'  I  should  like  to  do  them !  " 

"  Do  you  know  any  thing  about  water-coloring?" 

"  Xo ; "  rather  hesitatingly,  for  she  was  not  at  all 
certain  as  to  the  precise  nature  of  water-coloring. 

"  I  keep  several  young  ladies  at  work.  It  requires 
taste,  practice,  and  a  certain  degree  of  genius,  artistic 
ability." 

"I  meant  the  first  thought  of  the  picture,"  said 
Charlie,  blushing.  "  Some  one  must  know  how  it  is  to 
be  made." 

4  Yes,  certainly." 


270  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  If  you  would  look  at  these  "  — 

She  opened  her  parcel,  and  spread  them  before  him. 

"  Did  you  do  them?  " 

He  asked  the  question  in  astonishment. 

"Yes,"  was  Charlie's  simple  reply. 

He  studied  her  critically,  which  made  her  warm 
color  come  and  go,  and  she  interlaced  her  fingers  ner- 
vously. 

"  My  child,  this  first  thought,  as  yon  call  it,  is  de- 
signing. You  have  a  very  remarkable  genius,  I 
should  say.  How  old  are  }*ou  ?  " 

"Fifteen." 

"  You  have  had  some  instruction  !  " 

Charlie  concluded  it  would  be  wiser  to  say  that  she 
had,  for  there  was  the  drawing-book  and  Hal. 

"You  wish  to  do  this  for  a  living?"  he  asked 
kindly. 

"Oh,  if  I  could!  I  like  it  so  much!"  and  there 
was  a  world  of  entreat}7  in  Charlie's  tone. 

Mr.  Balcour  had  to  laugh  over  some  of  the  draw- 
ings, for  the  faces  were  so  spirited  and  expressive. 

"  I  will  tell  3'ou  the  very  best  thing  for  you  to  do. 
Enter  the  School  of  Design  for  women.  The  arrange- 
ments, I  beliove,  are  very  good ;  that  is,  there  is  a 
chance  to  earn  something  while  3-011  are  studying." 

"Oh!" 

Charlie's  face  was  fairly  transfigured.  Mr.  Balcour 
thought  her  a  wonderfully  pretty  girl. 


ALMOST  DISCOURAGED.  271 

"  It  is  at  Cooper  Institute,  Third  Avenue  and 
Seventh  or  Eighth  Street.  I  really  do  not  know  any 
thing  about  it,  except  that  it  does  profess  to  assist 
young  students  in  art." 

"  I  am  so  much  obliged  to  you ; "  and  Charlie  gave 
him  a  sweet,  grateful  smile. 

"  I  should  like  to  hear  a  little  about  you ! "  he  said ; 
"  and  I  hope  you  will  succeed.  Come  in  some  time 
and  let  me  know.  Do  you  live  in  the  city?" 

"  No ;  but  I  am  staying  with  some  friends  on  Four- 
teenth Street." 

"  Not  far  from  Cooper  Institute,  then." 

"  No,  I  can  easily  find  it." 

They  said  good-by ;  and  Charlie  threaded  her  way 
up  to  City  Hall  with  a  heart  as  light  as  thistle-down, 
quite  forgetting  that  she  had  missed  her  dinner.  Then, 
by  car,  she  went  up  to  Cooper  Institute. 

And  now  what  was  she  to  do?  I  told  you  that 
Charlie  had  a  great  deal  of  courage  and  perseverance. 
And  then  she  was  so  earnest  in  this  quest !  She  in- 
quired in  a  china-store,  and  was  directed  up  stairs. 

It  was  very  odd  indeed.  First  she  stumbled  into  a 
reading-room,  and  was  guided  from  thence  to  the  art- 
gallery  by  a  boy.  The  pictures  amused  and  interested 
her  for  quite  a  while.  One  lady  and  two  gentlemen 
were  making  copies. 

By  and  by  she  summoned  courage  to  ask  the  lady 
which  was  the  school,  or  study-room. 


272  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"School  of  Design?" 

"  Yes,"  timidly. 

"  It  is  closed." 

Charlie's  countenance  fell. 

"  When  will  it  be  open?" 

"  About  the  first  of  October." 

The  child  gave  a  great  sigh  of  disappointment. 

"  Were  you  thinking  of  entering? " 

"  I  wanted  to  see  —  if  I  could." 

"  Have  you  painted  any  ?  " 

"  No :  but  I  have  been  drawing  a  little." 

"  You  are  rather  young,  I  think." 

Then  the  lady  went  on  with  her  work.  Charlie 
turned  away  with  tears  in  her  eyes.  A  whole  month 
to  wait ! 

Mrs.  Wilcox  plied  her  with  questions  on  her  return, 
but  Charlie  was  not  communicative. 

After  a  night's  rest  she  felt  quite  courageous  again. 
She  would  see  what  could  be  done  about  engraving. 

Poor  Charlie !  There  were  no  bright  spots  in  this 
day.  Everybody  seemed  cross  and  in  a  hurry.  One 
man  said  coarsely,  — 

"  You  needn't  tell  me  you  did  them  things  by  your- 
self. You  took  'em  from  some  picturs." 

So  she  came  home  tired  and  dispirited.  Mary  Jane 
had  a  crowd  of  gay  company  in  the  evening,  and 
Charlie  slipped  off  to  bed.  Oh,  if  she  could  only  give 
Dot  a  good  hug,  and  kiss  Hal's  pale  face,  and  hear 


ALMOST  DISCOURAGED.  273 

Granny's  cracked  voice !  Even  the  horrible  tuning  of 
Kit's  fiddle  would  sound  sweet.  But  to  be  here,  — 
among  strangers,  —  and  not  be  able  to  make  her  plans 
work. 

Charlie  turned  her  face  over  on  the  pillow,  and  had  a 
good  cry.  After  all,  there  never  could  be  anybody  in 
this  world  half  so  sweet  as  "  The  old  woman  who 
lived  in  a  shoe !  " 

On  Wednesday  it  rained.  Charlie  was  positively 
glad  to  have  a  good  excuse  for  staying  within  doors. 
She  helped  Mrs.  Wilcox  with  her  sewing,  and  told  her 
every  thing  she  could  remember  about  the  people  at 
Madison. 

How  strange  it  must  look,  —  and  a  railroad  through 
the  middle  of  it !  There  wa'n't  no  mills  in  my  time, 
either.  And  rows  of  houses,  Mary  Jane  said.  She'd 
never  'a'  known  the  place  if  it  hadn't  been  for  the  folks. 
Dear,  dear!" 

Marj-  Jane  came  home  in  high  feather  that  night. 

"  I  found  they  were  taking  on  some  girls  to-day, 
Charlie  ;  and  I  spoke  a  good  word  for  you.  You  can 
come  next  Monday.  I  don't  believe  you'll  make  out 
much  with  the  pictures." 

"  You  were  very  good ;"  but  Charlie's  lip  quivered  a 
little. 

"  It  will  be  ever  so  nice  to  have  company  up  and 
iown !  and  }-ou'll  like  it,  I'm  sure." 

Mary  Jane,  being  of  a  particularly  discursive  nature, 
«-as  delighted  to  have  a  constant  listener. 


274  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Well,  that  was  better  than  nothing,"  Charlie 
thought.  She  might  work  a  while,  and  perhaps  learn 
something  more  definite  about  the  School  of  Design. 

"  For  I'll  never  give  it  up,  never !  "  and  Charlie  set 
her  resolute  red  lips  together,  while  her  eyes  glanced 
into  the  future. 

The  following  morning  was  so  lovely,  that  she  felt 
as  if  she  must  have  a  walk.  She  put  on  her  white 
dress  and  sacque,  and  looked  as  fresh  as  a  rose.  She 
would  go  over  on  Broadway,  where  every  thing  was 
clean  and  lovely,  and  have  a  delightful  time  looking  at 
the  shop-windows  and  the  beautiful  ladies. 

It  was  foolish  to  take  her  pictures  along,  and  yet 
she  did  it.  They  really  appeared  a  part  of  her  life. 
On  and  on  she  sauntered,  enjoying  every  thing  with 
the  keenest  relish.  The  mellow  sun,  the  refreshing  air 
that  had  in  it  a  crisp  flavor,  the  cloudless  sky  over- 
head, and  the  bright  faces  around,  made  her  almost 
dance  with  gladness. 

She  stood  for  a  long  while  viewing  some  chromos  in 
a  window,  —  two  or  three  of  children,  which  were  very 
piquant  and  amusing,  and  appealed  to  her  love  of  fun. 
Obeying  her  impulse  she  entered,  and  stole  timidly 
around.  Two  gentlemen  were  talking,  and  one  of  the 
faces  pleased  her  exceedingly.  A  large,  fair,  fresh- 
complexioned  man,  with  curly  brown  hair,  and  a  patri- 
archal beard,  snowy  white,  though  he  did  not  appear 
old. 


ALMOST  DISCOURAGED  275 

A  young  fellow  came  to  her  presently,  and  asked  if 
theie  was  any  thing  he  could  show  her. 

"  I  should  like  to  see  the  gentleman — when  he  is — 
disengaged." 

That  speech  would  haTe  done  credit  to  Florence. 

The  youth  carried  the  message,  and  the  proprietor 
glanced  around.  Not  the  one  with  the  beautiful  beard, 
and  Charlie  felt  rather  disappointed. 

They  talked  a  while  longer,  then  he  came  forward. 

"  You  wished  to  see  me?" 

Charlie  turned  scarlet  to  the  tips  of  her  fingers,  and 
stammered  something  in  an  absurdly  incoherent 
fashion. 

"Oh!  you  did  not  interrupt  me— particularly," 
and  he  smiled  kindly.  "What  can  I  do  for  you?" 

"  Will  you  tell  me— who  made  the  first  design  — 
for  —  those  pictures  in  the  window,  —  the  children,  I 
mean?" 

"  Different  artists.     Two,  I  think,  are  by  ladies." 

"  And  how  did  they  get  to  do  it?  I  mean,  after 
they  made  the  sketch,  who  painted  it?" 

"  Those  are  from  the  original  paintings.  The  artist 
nad  the  thought,  and  embodied  it  in  a  sketch." 

"  But  suppose  no  one  wanted  to  buy  it?  " 

"  That  has  happened ; "  and  he  smiled  again. 
"Why?  Have  you  been  trying  your  hand  at  pic- 
tares?" 

"  Yes,"  answered  Charlie  in  great  doubt  and  per- 


276  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

plexity.  "  Only  mine  are  done  in  pencil.  If  you 
would  look  at  them." 

Charlie's  eyes  were  so  beseeching,  that  he  could 
not  resist. 

She  opened  her  small  portfolio,  —  Hal's  handiwork. 
The  gentleman  glanced  over  two  or  three. 

"  Did  you  do  these  yourself  ?  " 

"  Yes  ; "  and  Charlie  wondered  that  she  should  be 
asked  the  question  so  frequently. 

"Who  taught  you?" 

"  My  brother,  a  little  ;  but  I  think  it  comes  natural," 
said  Charlie  in  her  earnestness,  knowing  no  reason 
why  she  should  not  tell  the  truth. 

"  Darol,  here  is  a  genius  for  you !  "  he  exclaimed, 
going  back  to  his  friend. 

Charlie  watched  them  with  throbbing  heart  and 
bated  breath.  She  was  growing  very  sensitive. 

"  That  child !  "  "  Come  here,  little  girl,  will  you  ?  " 
said  Mr.  Darol,  beckoning  her  towards  them. 

"  Who  put  the  faces  in  these?" 

"  I  did  ;  "  and  the  downcast  lids  trembled  percep- 
tibly. 

"  How  long  have  you  been  studying?" 

"  Oh !  I  could  always  do  that,"  answered  Charlie. 
"  I  used  to  in  school.  And  some  of  them  are  just 
what  did  happen." 

"  This,  —  Mr.  Kettleman's  troubles?  "  and  he  scruti- 
nized  her  earnestly. 


ALMOST  DISCOURAGED.  277 

"  There  was  a  man  working  in  the  mfll  whose  name 
was  Kettleman,  and  he  always  carried  a  dinner-kettle. 
Bat  I  thought  up  the  adventures  myself." 

Charlie  ottered  this  rerj  modestly,  and  yet  in  a 
quiet,  straightforward  manner,  that  bore  the  impress 
of  sincerity. 

The  first  picture  was  Mr.  Kettleman  purchasing  MB 
kettle.  A  scene  in  a  tin-shop ;  the  seller  a  round, 
jolly  fellow,  about  the  shape  of  a  beer-cask ;  and  Mr. 
Kettleman  tall  and  thin,  with  a  long  nose,  long  fingers, 
and  long  legs.  He  was  saying,  "Will  it  hold 
enough? "  The  faces  were  capital. 

In  the  second  Mrs.  Kettleman  was  putting  up  her 
husband's  dinner.  There  were  piles  and  piles  of 
goodies ;  and  his  cadaverous  face  was  bent  over  the 
mass,  the  lips  slightly  parted,  the  nose  longer  than 
ever,  and  asking  solemnly,  "  Can  you  get  it  all  in, 
Becky?" 

The  third  showed  a  group  of  laughing  men  round  a 
small  table,  which  was  spread  with  different  articles. 
One  fellow  held  the  pail  upside-down,  saying, 
«« The  last  crumb."  The  head  of  Mr.  Kettleman  was 
just  in  sight,  ascending  the  stairs. 

Lastly  the  kettle  tied  to  a  dog's  tail.  Mr.  Kettle- 
man in  the  distance,  taller,  thinner,  and  exceedingly 
woebegone,  watching  his  beloved  but  unfortunate  ket- 
tle as  it  thumped  over  the  stones. 

There  were  many  irregularities  and  defects,  but  the 


278  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOMn. 

faces  were  remarkable  for  expression.  Mr.  Daiol 
laughed  heartily. 

"How  old  are  you?"  asked  Mr.  "Wentworth,  glan- 
cing curiously  at  the  slender  slip  of  a  girl. 

"  Fifteen." 

"  You  don't  look  that." 

"  You  have  a  wonderful  gift,"  said  Mr.  Darol 
thoughtfully. 

"  Oh,  that  is  real ! "  exclaimed  Charlie  eagerly,  as 
they  turned  to  another.  "  My  brother  was  in  a  store 
once,  and  sold  some  pepper  for  allspice.  The  woman 
put  it  in  her  pie." 

"  So  I  should  judge  from  her  husband's  face  ; "  and 
they  both  laughed  again,  and  praised  Charlie  to  her 
heart's  content. 

By  degrees  Mr.  Darol  drew  Charlie's  history  from 
her.  She  did  not  conceal  her  poverty  nor  her  am- 
bition ;  and  her  love  for  her  one  talent  spoke  eloquently 
in  every  line  of  her  face. 

"  My  child,  you  have  a  remarkable  genius  for  design- 
ing. The  school  at  Cooper  Institute  will  be  just  the 
place  for  you.  Wentworth,  I  think  I  shall  take  her 
over  to  Miss  Charteris.  What  is  your  name,  little 
one?" 

"  Charlie  Kenneth." 

«*  Charlie?  "in  amaze. 

"  It  was  Charlotte,  but  I've  always  been  called 
Ciiarlie." 


ALMOST  DISCOURAGED.  279 

"  Just  the  name  for  you !  Miss  Charlie,  yon  have  a 
world  of  energy  and  spirit.  I  know  you  will  succeed. 
And  now  it  would  give  me  great  pleasure  to  take  you 
to  the  studio  of  an  artist  friend." 

The  tears  came  into  Charlie's  eyes :  she  couldn't  help 
it,  though  she  tried  to  smile. 

"Oh!  "with  a  tremulous  sob,  "  if  s  just  like  a 
dream.  And  you  are  so  good !  Td  go  with  one  meal 
a  day  if  I  could  only  draw  pictures ! " 

And  Charlie  was  lovely  again,  with  her  face  full  of 
smiles,  tears,  and  blushes.  Earnest,  piquant,  and  ir- 
regular, she  was  like  a  picture  herself. 

It  seemed  to  Charlie  that  in  five  minutes  they 
leached  Miss  Charteris's  studio ;  and  she  stood  in  awe 
and  trembling,  scarcely  daring  to  breathe.  For  up  to 
this  date  she  had  hardly  been  able  to  believe  that  any 
woman  in  the  world  besides  Rosa  Bonheur  had  actually 
painted  pictures. 

"  I  have  brought  you  a  new  study,  Miss  Charteris. 
A  romance  and  a  small  young  woman." 

"  Well,  Paul  Darol !  I  don't  believe  there  is  your 
equal  in  the  world  for  picking  up  the  lame  and  the 
halt  and  the  blind,  and  the  waifs  and  strays.  What 
now?"  and  Miss  Charteris  laughed  with  such  a  musi- 
cal ripple  that  Charlie  turned  and  answered  her  with  a 
smile. 

"  First  look  at  these,  and  then  let  me  tell  you  a 
story." 


280  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Very  fair  and  vigorous  sketches;"  and  Miss 
Charteris  glanced  curiously  at  Charlie. 

Then  Mr.  Darol  began  with  the  storj,  telling  his 
part  first,  and  calling  in  Charlie  to  add  sundry  helps 
to  the  other. 

"  And  so,  you  see,  I  ventured  to  try  jTour  good  tem- 
per once  more,  and  bring  her  to  you." 

"  What  shall  I  do,  —  paint  her?  She  might  sit  for 
a  g3T>sy  girl  now,  but  in  ten  years  she  will  be  a 
handsome  woman.  What  an  odd,  trustful  child  !  This 
promises  better  than  some  of  your  discoveries." 

"  Well,  help  me  to  get  her  into  the  School  of  De- 
sign, and  make  a  successful  genius  of  her.  She  is  too 
plucky  for  any  one  to  refuse  her  a  helping  hand." 

Miss  Charteris  began  to  question  Charlie.  She  had 
a  vein  of  drollery  in  her  own  nature ;  and  in  half  an 
hour  Charlie  was  laughing  and  talking  as  if  she  had 
known  her  all  her  lifetime.  What  pleased  Mr.  Darol 
most  was  her  honesty  and  unflinching  truth.  She  told 
of  their  poverty  and  struggles,  of  the  love  and  the  fun 
the}'  had  shared  together ;  but  there  was  a  little  trem- 
or in  her  voice  as  she  said,  "We  had  one  sister 
who  was  adopted  by  a  rich  lady." 

The  matter  was  soon  settled,  being  in  the  right 
hands.  Charlie  was  registered  as  a  pupil  at  the 
school ;  and  Miss  Charteris  taught  her  to  re-touch 
photographs,  and  found  her  an  opportunity  to  do  a 
little  work.  It  was  something  of  a  hardship  to  go  on 


ALMOST  DISCOURAGED.  281 

boarding  with  Mrs.  Wilcox  ;  but  they  were  so  fond  of 
her,  and  so  proud  of  what  the}-  could  not  understand ! 

So  you  do  not  wonder,  I  fancy,  that  Charlie's  letter 
should  be  such  a  jubilate.  Ah,  if  she  could  only 
earn  a  little  money  to  take  back  with  her ! 

She  saw  Miss  Cuarteris  and  Mr.  Darol  quite  often. 
He  was  like  a  father,  but  sweeter  and  dearer  than  any 
one's  father  she  had  ever  known.  When  she  went 
home,  she  meant  to  coax  Hal  to  return  with  her,  JLst 
for  the  pleasure  of  meeting  such  splendid  people  ;  ' '  for 
he  is  the  best  of  all  of  us,"  she  used  to  say  to  Miss 
Charteris. 

Ah,  Charlie,  if  you  dreamed  of  what  w  is  happening 
in  the  Old  Shoe ! 


CHAPTER  XVn. 

LOST    AT   SEA. 

rr^HE  autumn  was  unusually  warm  and  pleasant, 
-•-  without  any  frost  to  injure  the  flowers  until  the 
middle  of  October.  Hal  enlarged  his  green-house 
arrangements,  and  had  a  fine  stock  of  tuberoses.  He 
had  learned  a  good  deal  by  his  experiments  of  the  past 
year. 

He  had  been  careful  not  to  overwork ;  since  he  was 
improving,  and  took  every  thing  moderately.  But  at 
last  it  was  all  finished,  —  the  cold  frames  arranged  for 
spring,  the  plants  housed,  the  place  tidy  and  in  order. 

The  loss  of  the  school  had  been  a  severe  disappoint- 
ment to  Hal.  He  was  casting  about  now  for  some 
employment  whereby  he  might  earn  a  little.  If  Mr. 
Sherman  would  only  give  him  a  few  days'  work,  now 
and  then,  they  could  get  along  nicely ;  for  Granny  was 
a  most  economical  manager,  and,  besides,  there  was 
eighty  dollars  in  the  bank,  and  a  very  small  family,  — 
only  three  of  them. 

Hal  came  home  one  day,  and  found  Granny  sitting 
over  a  handful  of  fire,  bundled  in  a  great  shawl.  Her 


LOST  AT  SEA,  283 

eyes  bad  a  frightened  look,  and  there  was  a  bine  line 
about  her  month. 

"  Why,  Granny  dear,  what  is  the  matter?"  he  asked 
in  ahum,  ftMf*"g  over  to  kiss  the  cold  wrinkled  check. 

"  I  d-d-don't  know,"  the  teeth  chattering  in  the  at- 
tempt  to  apeak.  "  I  b-b-kive  Tre  got  a  chffl ! " 

"  Oh.  so  you  hare,  poor  dear  child !  "  and  Hal  was 
as  motherly  as  the  old  gray  hen  outside.  '*  You  must 
go  to  bed  at  once.  Perhaps  you  had  better  bathe 
your  feet,  and  have  a  bowl  of  hot  tea." 

"And  my  head  aches  so!  Fin  not  used  to  having 
h^daidi^  HaL" 

She  said  this  piteoosly.  as  if  she  fancied  Hal,  who 
could  do  every  thing  in  her  opinion,  might  exorcise 
the  pan. 

"  Fin  very  sorry,  dear,"  stroking  the  wrinkled  face 
as  if  she  had  been  a  baby.  "  Now  m  put  some  water 
on  to  heat." 

"  O  Hal,  Fm  so  cold!  Tears  to  me  I  never  shall 
be  warm  again." 

"Yes,  when  I  get  you  snug  in  the  bed,  and  make 
yon  some  nice  tea.  What  shall  it  be,  —  pennyroyal?* 

"  And  a  little  feverfew." 

Hal  kissed  the  cold,  trembling  lips,  and  went  about 
his  preparations.  The  water  was  soon  hot ;  and  he 
put  a  little  mustard  in  the  pafl  with  it,  carrying  it  to 
the  bedside  in  the  other  room,  and  leading  poor  Granny 


284  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

The  place  was  steaming  presently  with  the  fra- 
grance of  pennyroyal.  Hal  poured  it  off  into  a  cool 
bowl,  and  gave  Granny  a  good  drink,  then  tucked  her 
in  the  bed,  and  spread  the  shawl  over  her ;  but  still  she 
cried  in  her  pitiful  voice,  — 

"I'm  so  cold,  Hal!" 

After  the  rigor  of  the  chill  began  to  abate,  a  raging 
fever  set  in,  and  Granny's  mind  wandered  a  little. 
Then  Hal  was  rather  alarmed.  Granny  had  never 
been  down  sick  a  day  in  her  life,  although  she  was  not 
so  very  robust. 

"  Dot,  darling,  you  must  run  for  Dr.  Meade,"  Hal 
said,  as  the  child  came  home  from  school.  u  Granny 
is  very  ill,  I  am  afraid." 

Dr.  Meade  was  away,  and  did  not  come  until  eight 
in  the  evening. 

"  I  fear  it  is  going  to  be  a  run  of  fever,  Hal,"  he 
began  gravely.  "  At  her  time  of  life  too !  But  we'll 
do  the  best  we  can.  There  is  considerable  fever 
about." 

Hal  drew  a  long  breath  of  pain. 

"  You  will  be  the  best  nurse  in  the  world,  Hal ; " 
and  the  doctor  smiled,  placing  his  hand  on  the  boy's 
shoulder  re-assuringly. 

Hal  winked  away  some  tears.  They  lay  quite  too 
close  to  the  surface  for  a  man's  nature. 

"  I'll  leave  her  some  drops,  and  be  in  again  in  the 
morning.  Don't  worry,  my  dear  boy." 


LOST  AT  SEA.  1  ;  5 

Granny  could  hardly  bear  to  hare  Hal  oat  of  sight, 
sad  wanted  to  keep  hold  of  his  hand  all  the  time. 
Dot  prepared  the  sapper,  bat  they  could  taste  nothing 
beyond  a  cop  of  tea. 

"  Dot,"  he  said,  "  yon  most  go  up  stairs  and  sleep 
in  my  bed  to-night.  I  shall  stay  here  to  watch 
Granny." 

"  But  it  wiH  be  so — lonesome!"  with  her  baby  en- 
treaty. 

"  It  is  best,  my  darling." 

So  Dot  kissed  him  many  times,  lingering  until  after 
the  clock  struck  ten,  when  Hal  said,— 

"  My  birdie's  eyes  wffl  be  heavy  to-morrow." 

Granny  was  worse  the  next  day.  Indeed,  for  the 
mmiin^  fortnight  her  life  seemed  vibrating  in  the  bal- 
ance. Everybody  was  very  kind,  bat  she  could  bear 
no  one  besides  HaL  Just  *  little  delirious  occasionally, 
and  going  back  to  the  time  when  they  were  all  babies, 
and  her  own  dear  Joe  lay  dying. 

"  Fve  done  my  best  for  'em,  Joe,"  she  would  mur- 
mur. "Tve  never  minded  heat  nor  cold,  nor  hard 
work.  They've  been  a  great  blessing,  —  they  always 
were  good  children." 

For  Granny  forgot  aU  Charlie's  badness,  Joe's  mis- 
chief, and  Dof  s  crossness.  Transfigured  by  her  de- 
votion, they  were  without  a  fault.  Ah,  how  one 
tender  love  makes  beautiful  the  world!  Whatever 
others  might  think,  God  had  a  crown  of  gold  up  la 


286  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

heaven,  waiting  for  the  poor  tired  brow  ;  and  the  one 
angel  would  have  flown  through  starry  skies  for  her, 
taking  her  to  rest  on  his  bosom,  but  the  othei 
pleaded,  — 

"  A  little  longer,  for  the  children's  sake." 

At  last  the  fever  was  conquered.  Granny  was  weak 
as  a  baby,  and  had  grown  fearfully  thin  ;  but  it  was  a 
comfort  to  have  her  in  her  right  mind.  Still  Hal 
remarked  that  the  doctor's  face  had  an  anxious  look, 
and  that  he  watched  him  with  a  kind  of  pitying  air. 
So  much  so,  that  one  day  he  said,  — 

"  You  think  she  will  get  well,  doctor?" 

"  There  is  nothing  to  prevent  it  if  we  can  only  keep 
up  her  appetite." 

"  I  always  feed  her,"  returned  Hal  with  a  smile, 
*'  whether  she  is  willing  to  eat  or  not." 

"  You  are  a  born  nurse,  as  good  as  a  woman.  Give 
her  a  little  of  the  port  wine  every  day." 

Then  the  doctor  turned  to  the  window,  and  seemed 
to  glance  over  towards  the  woods. 

"  Quite  winterish,  isn't  it?  When  have  you  heard 
from  Joe  ?  " 

"  Not  in  a  long  time.  Letters  do  not  come  so  regu- 
larly as  they  used.  I  think  we  have  not  had  one  since 
August.  But  he  writes  whenever  he  can,  dear  Joe 
The  last  time  we  received  three." 

"  Yes,"  in  a  kind  of  absent  way. 

When  Dr.  Meade  started  to  go,  he  kept  his  hand  foi 


LOST  AT  SEA.  287 

.several  minutes  oa  the  door-latch,  giving  some  mam 
portent  directions. 

"  God  bless  you,  Hal !"  he  said  in  a  strained,  hosky 
tone,  "  and  give  joa  grace  to  bear  afl  the  trials  of  this 
life.  Heaven  knows,  there  are  enough  of  them!" 

What  did  the  doctor  mean?  Hal  wondered  eagerly. 

That  evening  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Terry  dropped  in  for  a 
friendly  call. 

"When  did  you  hear  from  Joe  last?"  asked  Mr. 
Terry. 

"  In  August." 

"  Wasn't  expecting  him  home,  I  suppose?" 

"Nut  until  next  summer.  Has  any  one  heard?" 
and  there  was  a  quiver  in  Hal's  voice. 

"I  don't  know  of  any  one  who  has  had  a  letter;" 
and  Mr.  Terry  appeared  to  be  measuring  his  words. 
*•  Joe  was  a  nice  bright  lad,  just  as  full  of  fun  as  an 
egg  is  full  of  meat.  Cousin  Burton  took  a  wonderful 
fancy  to  him ;  though  I  suppose  he'd  have  gone  off  to 
sea,  any  way.  If  it  had  not  been  Burton,  it  would  have 
been  some  one  else." 

"  Yes.    Joe  always  had  his  heart  set  upon  it." 

"  Father  and  Joe  used  to  get  along  so  nicely.  We 
never  had  a  boy  we  liked  better.  He  was  a  brave, 
honest  fellow." 

It  seemed  almost  as  if  Mrs.  Terry  wiped  a  tear  from 
her  eye.  But  Granny  wanted  to  be  raised  in  the  bed, 
and  some  way  Hal  couldn't  think  until  after  they  were 


288  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

He  was  thankful  to  see  the  doctor  come  in  the 
next  morning. 

"  Oh ! "  he  exclaimed  in  a  low  tone,  "  you  were  talk- 
ing of  Joe  yesterday :  has  anybody  heard  from  him, 
or  about  him  ?  " 

The  hand  that  clasped  the  doctor's  arm  trembled 
violently. 

"  Hal,  be  calm,"  entreated  the  doctor. 

"  I  cannot !  Oh,  you  do  know,  —  and  it's  bad 
news ! " 

"  My  dear  boy  —  O  Hal !  "  and  he  was  folded  in  the 
doctor's  arms. 

"  Tell  me,  tell  me ! "  in  a  yearning,  impatient  tone, 
that  seemed  to  crowd  its  way  over  sobs. 

"  God  knows  it  could  not  have  hurt  me  more  if  it 
had  been  one  of  my  own  !  But  he  was  a  hero  —  to  the 
last.  There  isn't  a  braver  j*oung  soul  up  in  heaven, 
I'll  answer  for  that.  Here  —  it's  in  the  paper.  I've 
carried  it  about  with  me  three  days,  old  coward  that 
I've  been,  and  not  dared  to  tell  you.  But  it's  all  over 
the  village.  Hush, — for  Granny's  sake.  She  must 
not  know." 

Hal  dropped  on  the  lounge  that  he  and  Granny  had 
manufactured  with  so  much  pride.  He  was  stunned, 
—  dead  to  every  thing  but  pain,  and  that  was  tortur- 
ing. The  doctor  placed  the  paper  in  his  hands,  and 
went  into  the  other  room  to  his  patient. 

Yes,  there  it  was !     The  words  blurred  before  his 


LOST  AT  SEA.  289 

eyes;  and  stfll  he  read,  by  some  kind  of  intuition.  "The 
Argemone  "  had  met  with  a  terrific  storm  in  the  Indian 
Ocean;  and,  though  she  had  battled  bravely,  winds  and 
waves  had  proved  too  strong.  All  one  night  the  men 
had  labored  heroically,  but  in  vain ;  and  when  she  be- 
gan to  go  down,  just  at  dawn,  the  life-boats  were 
filled,  too  few,  alas !  even  if  there  were  safety  in  them. 
Nothing  could  exceed  the  bravery  and  coolness  of  the 
young  second  mate.  The  captain  lay  sick  below ;  the 
first  mate  and  the  engineer  were  panic-stricken;  but 
this  strong,  earnest  voice  had  inspired  every  one 
through  the  fearful  night.  When  it  was  found  that 
some  must  be  left  behind,  he  decided  to  stay,  and  as- 
sisted the  others  with  a  courage  and  presence  of  mind 
that  was  beyond  all  praise.  The  smile  that  illumi- 
nated his  face  when  he  refused  to  step  into  the  already 
overladen  boat  was  like  the  smile  of  an  angel.  They 
who  saw  it  in  the  light  of  the  gray  dawn  would  never 
forget.  One  boat  drifted  in  to  Sumatra,  the  other 
was  picked  up  by  a  passing  vessel.  But  the  few  who 
remained  must  have  perished  in  any  case,  and  among 
diem  no  name  so  deserving  of  honor  as  that  of  Joseph 
Kenneth. 

Hal  read  it  again  and  again.  Joseph  Kenneth! 
Was  that  dear,  laughing  Joe,  with  his  merry  eyes,  and 
the  sauciest  trick  of  winking  in  the  corner  of  one ; 
little  Joe  who  had  stood  on  his  head,  played  circus, 
and,  with  the  aid  of  a  few  old  shawls,  been  lion,  tiger, 


290  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

elephant,  and  camel ;  dear  Joe,  who  had  cuddled  up  in 
bed  cold  winter  nights  and  almost  smothered  him,  — 
Hal ;  who  had  made  ghosts  out  of  the  bolster,  and 
frightened  Kit  half  to  death !  Why  did  he  think  of 
these  foolish  things  now  ?  Oh,  this  brave  Joseph  Ken- 
neth never  could  be  their  little  Joe !  God  surely 
would  not  give  Granny  this  pain  and  anguish  to  beat 
at  the  last ! 

A  hand  was  laid  on  Hal's  shoulder. 

"  Oh !  it  can't  be  true  "  — 

"There's  just  one  chance  out  of  a  thousand.  Hal, 
it  seems  to  me  the  saddest  thing  I  ever  heard,  and  yet 
so  grand.  You  see  what  the  passengers  said  of  him. 
Ah,  I  think  he  did  not  need  to  knock  long  at  St. 
Peter's  gate !  " 

The  doctor  wiped  his  eyes. 

"  But  —  never  to  have  him  —  come  back  "  — 

"He  has  drifted  into  a  better  port,  my  dear  boy: 
that  must  be  our  comfort.  We  shall  all  cross  the 
river  by  and  by ;  and  it  is  never  so  hard  for  the  one 
who  goes,  as  for  those  who  stay  and  bear  the  pain  and 
loneliness.  And  some  time  it  will  be  sweet  to  remem- 
ber that  he  gave  his  brave  young  life  for  others." 

Hal's  eyes  were  tearless,  and  there  was  a  hard, 
strained  look  in  his  face. 

"  Don't  tell  Granny  now.     She  couldn't  bear  it." 

"  No  ; "  and  Hal's  voice  was  full  of  pathetic  grief. 

"  And   oh,   Hal,   be   comforted   a  little !     I   know 


LOST  AT  SEA.  291 

there  is  an  overwhelming  anguish  in  it ;  bat  for  the 
sake  of  those  still  left  "  — 

44  Yes."     Hal's  ashen  lips  quivered. 

The  doctor  brushed  away  the  soft  hair  tumbled 
about  his  forehead,  and  held  the  cold  hand  in  his. 

"  God  has  some  balm  for  every  ache,  my  boy." 

Hal  sat  there  until  Granny  called  for  something, 
every  moment  growing  more  incredulous.  But  a 
heavy  weight  hung  about  his  heart,  even  though  he 
refused  to  believe.  It  seemed  as  if  there  could  not 
be  despairing  certainty  before  to-morrow. 

When  Kit  came  home  on  Saturday  night,  and  just 
threw  his  arms  around  Hal's  neck,  sobbing  as  if  his 
heart  had  broken,  it  gave  a  strange  reality  to  the  grief 
and  sorrow. 

"I  heard  it  on  Monday,  — the  loss  of  'The  Arge- 
mone.'  How  proud  Joe  was  of  her !  And  my  heart's 
been  aching  for  you  every  day.  The  cruel  thing  of  it 
all  is,  never  to  have  him  come  home  again." 

Dot  had  to  be  taken  into  confidence  then ;  but  she 
was  a  discreet  little  thing,  and  quite  to  be  trusted. 
She  did  not  suffer  so  deeply,  for  Joe  was  only  a  pleas- 
ant dream  to  her ;  and  she  tried  to  comfort  Hal  with 
her  sweet,  winsome  ways. 

Granny  did  improve  slowly.  She  began  to  sit  up 
in  the  rocking-chair,  walk  to  the  window  and  look  out, 
and  occasionally  smile,  in  her  faint,  wan  fashion. 
They  would  never  hear  the  merry  chirruping  laugh 
again,  Hal  thought. 


292  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

But  all  the  details  of  life  had  to  be  gone  through 
with,  as  usual.  There  was  the  poultry  to  be  prepared 
for  market ;  for  this  source  of  their  income  could  not 
be  overlooked.  In  fact,  Hal  and  Dot  were  not  quite 
as  economical  managers  as  Granny ;  and  then  every 
thing  was  very  high.  They  required  more  luxuries  in 
sickness,  and  Hal  would  not  stint.  But,  when  this  was 
gone,  there  would  be  the  money  for  the  flowers,  and 
their  little  hoard  in  the  bank  still  remained  unbroken. 

It  was  not  any  fear  of  want  that  troubled  Hal. 
The  old  dreams  and  ambitions  seemed  to  be  slipping 
away.  Sometimes  even  the  idea  of  attaining  to  a 
green-house  failed  to  charm  ;  though  he  still  loved  his 
flowers  passionately,  and  they  comforted  him  as 
nothing  else  could  have  done. 

One  day  Granny  thought  of  Joe. 

"Have  we  had  a  letter  since  my  illness?"  she 
asked. 

"  No,"  answered  Hal  faintly. 

"  Not  since  —  let  me  see,  —  it  was  August." 

Hal  made  no  reply. 

"  Wh}r —  it's  strange  !  He  never  did  such  a  thing 
before !  Hasn't  any  one  heard  ?  " 

"  I  believe  not."  Hal  turned  his  head,  and  went  on 
with  some  writing. 

"  Seems  to  me  you  take  it  pretty  easy,"  said 
Granny,  a  little  vexed.  "Joe  never  was  the  one  to 
forget  his  home  folks.  Hal,  something's  happened: 
mark  my  words ! " 


LOST  AT  8EA.  293 

Poor  Hal  brushed  away  a  tear. 

Then  Granny  gave  Dot  a  mysterious  confidence,  and 
asked  her  to  inquire  of  Mr.  Terry. 

"  He  a1  ways  wrote  to  them,  and  they  must  know." 

Dot  said,  in  return,  that  they  had  not  received  a 
letter. 

Granny  then  began  to  worry  in  desperate  earnest, 
and  besieged  every  visitor  with  questions  and  surmises. 
Hal  was  in  a  sore  strait.  Of  course  she  must  know 
sometime. 

She  made  herself  so  nearly  sick,  that  Dr.  Meade  saw 
the  danger  and  harm,  and  felt  that  she  had  better 
know  the  truth. 

"  Will  you  tell  her?  "  faltered  Hal. 

He  undertook  the  sorrowful  office.  Tenderly, 
kindly,  and  yet  it  was  a  cruel  wound. 

"Oh,  it  cannot  be!"  she  cried.  "God  wouldn't 
take  him  from  me  now  that  I'm  old  and  sick  and  help- 
less !  Let  me  see  the  paper.** 

They  complied  with  her  request,  but  the  doctor  had 
to  read  it.  Her  old  eyes  could  not  see  a  word. 

"Oh,  oh!  Drowned  in  the  sea!  And  I  never 
wanted  him  to  go !  My  poor  darling !  who  was  always 
so  bright,  so  happy,  and  who  loved  his  poor  old 
Granny  so  well !  Let  me  go  back  to  bed  now :  I  doa't 
want  to  live.  They're  all  up  in  heaven,  —  my  Joe,  and 
little  Joe,  and  poor  Dora.  There  is  no  use  of  staying 
here." 


294  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Hal  soothed  her  with  fondest  love  and  caresses  ;  but 
nothing  could  change  the  longing  in  her  heart,  the 
weary  look  in  the  eyes  that  seemed  to  be  discerning 
the  shore  beyond,  and  the  sad  voice  with  its  one 
refrain,  "  Poor,  dear  Joe !  " 

After  that  she  failed  rapidly.  Hal  scarcely  left  her. 
She  used  to  ask  him  to  read  all  the  old  letters  orer 
again,  from  the  first  boj'ish  pride  that  so  exulted  in  the 
trip  to  Albany.  And  she  would  recall  some  act  of 
tenderness,  or  a  gay  prank  at  which  they  all  had 
laughed. 

One  evening  Hal  felt  unusually  weary.  There  had 
been  a  warm  rain  for  two  days,  with  most  un-Decem- 
ber-like  weather.  A  fire  felt  absolutely  uncomfortable. 
He  generally  slept  down  on  the  lounge  now,  to  be  near 
if  Granny  wanted  any  thing.  Before  retiring  he  paid 
his  flower-room  a  visit.  Every  thing  was  doing  splen- 
didly. So  far  business  had  not  been  very  brisk ;  but 
that  morning  he  had  received  an  order  for  the  next 
week,  —  Christmas-tide,  —  for  all  the  flowers  he  could 
cut. 

*'  Dear  sweet  children,"  he  said,  talking  softly  to 
himself.  "  If  I  could  only  have  put  some  in  his  coffin, 
and  on  his  grave!  but  to  think  of  him  lying  in  the 
sea,  with  the  endless  music  over  his  head,  and  the 
shells  tangled  in  his  hair.  O  Joe  !  it  doesn't  seem  a 
bit  true,  and  I  never  can  make  it  so." 

Yet  he  knew  in  his  heart  that  it  was ;  and  he  tried  to 


LOST  AT  SEA.  295 

remember  that  Joe  was  up  in  heaven,  past  aH  pain  and 
care,  ready  to  welcome  them  as  they  came,  one  by  one, 
—  Granny  first.  It  would  be  easier  to  give  her  up, 
because  she  was  going  to  be  with  darling  Joe. 

He  left  the  door  against  the  hall  open,  it  was  so 
warm;  then  he  took  a  last  look  at  Granny,  and 
dropped  on  his  conch.  It  was  a  long  while  before  he 
fell  asleep,  and  then  he  slumbered  soundly.  Once  he 
awoke  with  a  shiver,  and  reached  out  for  the  blanket 
he  had  thrown  off  earlier  in  the  night. 

The  light  in  the  window  roused  him  at  length.  How 
oddly  it  looked,  and  oh,  how  cold !  Why,  the  panes 
were  frosted  with  a  thousand  fairy  devices !  And  then 
Hal  sprang  up,  hurried  into  his  clothes,  and  ran  to  the 
flower-room.  The  windows  were  white  with  frost,  and 
the  thick  papers  rolled  to  the  top.  Worst  of  all,  the 
jre  had  gone  out ! 

For  a  moment  Hal  stood  in  blank  despair.  His 
beautiful  buds  that  were  to  be  out  in  a  few  days,  his 
tender,  delicate  plants !  How  had  it  happened?  There 
must  have  been  more  ashes  in  the  bottom  of  the  stove 
than  he  thought;  and  the  fire,  being  weak,  had  not 
kindled  at  all.  He  tore  it  out  with  eager  hands.  Not 
a  spark  remained.  The  stove  was  as  cold  as  a  stone. 

But  there  was  no  time  to  waste  in  grief.  Hal  kin- 
dled his  fire,  and  then  began  to  drench  his  plants. 
Something  might  be  saved. 

Presently  Dof  s  little  feet  pattered  up  the  stairs. 


296  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  How  we  all  slept ! "  she  said.  "  And  oh,  dear !  ita 
as  cold  as  Greenland,  after  the  beautiful  summer 
weather.  But  Hal,  dear,  what  is  the  matter  ?" 

"  My  fire  went  out." 

"  Will  it  hurt  the  plants?" 

"  Some  of  them ; "  and  his  voice  had  a  great  tremble 
in  it. 

"  Oh,  it  is  too  bad,  Hal!  doesn't  every  thing  seem 
to  happen  to  us? "  and  tears  sprang  to  the  fond  eyes. 

Hal  gave  a  long,  pained  sigh. 

"  Can't  you  save  any  of  them?  " 

"  Yes  :  some,  I  think.     It  might  have  been  worse." 

Dot  kissed  him  tenderly,  —  it  was  all  she  could  do. 
Then  she  ran  down,  and  began  to  prepare  breakfast. 

The  sun  was  rising  ;  and  Hal  dropped  the  papers  to 
keep  it  dark  for  the  present,  and  allowed  his  fire  to 
come  on  gradually.  At  first  he  began  to  take  hope, 
for  the  flowers  held  up  their  heads  crisply. 

Alas  !  by  noon  they  showed  signs  of  drooping ;  and 
before  night  the  buds  of  the  tuberoses  began  to  be 
slightly  discolored.  Poor  Hal  could  have  cried  out  of 
pure  sorrow.  He  loved  them  all  so  dearly,  and  it 
almost  seemed  to  him  as  if  they  suffered  as  well. 

But  the  next  day  the  ruin  was  plainly  established. 
He  went  about  with  his  scissors,  clipping  here  and  there. 
The  heliotrope  displayed  a  mass  of  blackened  clusters  ; 
but  it  could  be  trimmed  for  new  blossoming.  Many 
of  the  more  forward,  choice  rosebuds  were  ruined  • 


LOST  AT  SEA.  297 

bat  the  plants  were  not  deeply  injured.  The  boavar- 
dias  were  quite  spoiled ;  bat  the  mignonette  and  alys- 
Bum  were  unharmed. 

Hal  cut  a  few  the  day  before  Christmas,  and  sent 
them  over  to  Mr.  Thomas.  It  was  such  a  sore  loss 
and  disappointment,  that  it  hong  around  him  like  a 
heavy  burden.  They  had  been  counting  on  the  money 
with  so  much  pleasure. 

"Never  mind,"  exclaimed  Dot  cheerfully.  "We 
will  not  have  any  extra  Christmas.  Granny  will  not 
be  able  to  sit  up.  and  therell  be  no  one  home  but  Kit." 

Hal  brushed  away  a  tear.  To  tell  the  truth,  he  felt 
miserably  lonesome,  and  sick  at  heart.  Every  day  the 
sense  of  loss  grew  upon  him.  He  had  given  up  hope 
forGranny ;  though  she  was  no  worse,  and  perhaps  had 
improved  a  little  in  appetite.  But  then  she  did  not 
care  to  get  well.  And  the  faces  lost  oat  of  the  home 
group  made  such  a  sad  break. 

They  had  received  two  more  hopeful  little  notes  from 
Charlie ;  but,  if  she  was  happy  and  prosperous,  would 
she  not  be  weaned  away,  like  the  one  other.  Joe.  in 
his  deep  sea-grave,  had  always  been  tender  and  true. 

"  Christmas  isn't  much  to  us  now,"  Hal  answered, 
recalling  the  old  gayety.  "Yet  it  is  too  bad  to  put 
such  black  shadows  in  your  life,  my  darling." 

"The  sun  has  never  been  so  bright  for  me,  you 
know,"  Dot  said,  in  her  sweet,  soft  voice,  in  which 
there  was  not  a  touch  of  complaint.  "It  seems  as  if 


298  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    'LIKE    HOME. 

the  path  had  grown  shady  before  I  came  to  it,  so  I 
don't  miss  the  gayety.  And,  while  I  can  have  you  and 
Granny,  I'll  be  quite  satisfied." 

"  You  are  a  comfort  and  a  treasure.  I'm  so  glad  to 
have  you,  Dot,  though  you  were  a  wee  baby  and  always 
sick.  Now  and  then  a  neighbor  used  to  say, — 
'  What  a  blessing  it  would  be  if  that  child  should  die ! ' 
But  Granny  never  thought  so." 

Dot  nestled  closer. 

The  morning  had  been  cloudy,  and  about  ten  o'clock 
it  commenced  snowing.  They  did  their  housework, 
and  prepared  their  simple  dinner. 

"  I  had  resolved  to  go  to  town  to-day,  and  buy  some 
Christmas,"  said  Hal.  "  I  believe  we  never  were  quite 
so  blue  before." 

"  I  don't  suppose  Kit  will  be  able  to  get  home  this 
evening,"  Dot  said  slowly. 

"No." 

"  Then  we'll  keep  it  by  ourselves,  Hal.  It  will  not 
be  so  very  bad." 

"  But  to  have  no  little  gifts,  —  and  Granny  sick  in 
bed"  — 

"  It  will  not  be  a  merry  Christmas  for  us,  dear ;  but 
there  may  be  something  pleasant  in  it." 

Hal  sighed  sorrowfully.  Oh,  for  the  sweet,  lost 
childhood ! 


CHAPTER  XTITL 


"IT  snowed  steadily  all  day;  and  evening  closed 
"•-  around  them  in  the  midst  of  this  soft,  noiseless 
storm.  The  roads  were  beginning  to  be  blocked  np, 
the  houses  were  hooded  in  ermine,  and  no  one  passed 
by  the  windows.  Xot  a  soul  had  been  in  that  day 
So.  after  the  lamp  was  lighted,  they  drew  closer  together. 
Hal  read  a  while  from  a  book  of  poems  that  Mrs. 
Howard  had  lent  him. 

"  It  is  nearly  bed-time,"  he  said  at  length. 

"  I  don't  feel  a  bit  sleepy." 

"  Hal,"  began  Granny,  stretching  out  her  thin  hand, 
"  don't  leave  me.  I  feel  so  strange." 

"  Worse,  my  own  dear?" 

"  Not  in  pain,  but  sort  of  restful,  as  if  Fd  come  to 
something — no,  Tm  not  afraid,  Hal.  Tve  been  pray- 
ing all  along  that  I  might  die,  and  maybe  if  s  coming. 
Tm  a  poor  old  body,  not  worth  much,  —  and  Joe's 
there,  you  know." 

She  gave  her  head  a  feeble  nod.  Hal  swallowed 
over  a  great  sob. 


300  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  When  will  it  be  Christmas?" 

"  To-morrow." 

"  Maybe  I'll  be  up  among  the  angels,  —  a  poor,  igno- 
rant, foolish  old  body  like  me  !  It's  wonderful  to  think 
of!  But  Joe'll  be  there,  to  take  his  dear  Granny  by 
the  hand,  and  keep  her  from  stumbling,  and  making 
mistakes,  and  doing  all  the  things  that  would  shame  or 
vex  any  one.  And  Christ  loved  us  all,  you  know. 
He  died  for  us.  I  think  I've  understood  it  better  since 
Joe  stood  there  on  the  ship,  refusing  to  get  into  the 
boat  lest  he  might  swamp  it.  He  died  for  some  one : 
not  in  that  fashion,  for  he  didn't  have  any  sins  to  bear, 
and  wasn't  reviled  and  wounded  ;  but  still  he  gave  his 
sweet  life,  —  his  dear  life  that  was  so  much  to  me." 

Dot  crept  up  to  the  bed. 

' '  After  I'm  gone  you  and  Dot'll  love  each  other. 
It  will  be  sad  for  a  little  while,  but  God  will  remember 
you,  and  bring  you  comfort.  I've  cried  to  him  a' 
many  times,  when  it's  been  dark  all  round  ;  and,  when 
all  other  friend's  fail,  you'll  find  him  true  and  strong. 
I've  done  the  best  I  could.  It's  been  poor  enough ; 
but  then  I  never  had  learnin'  and  all  that  to  help  me. 
I  took  you  when  you  were  all  little  chaps,  motherless 
and  fatherless,  and  I've  tried  to  keep  you  together. 
But  they've  strayed  off,  Hal.  There's  only  you  and 
Dot  to  give  Granny  a  last  kiss." 

Dot  was  sobbing  on  Granny's  pillow. 

"  Don't,  deary,  don't,"  in  her  quivering,  entreating 


A  SONG  IN  THE  NIGHT.  301 

voice.  "  We  must  all  die  some  time.  God  knows 
when  if  s  best.  And  I  ain't  of  any  use  now,  my  work's 
all  done.  I'd  like  to  see  'em  all  again,  Hal,  —  dear 
little  things  ;  only  I  never  can  believe  they  are  all  men 
and  women.  And,  if  Flossy  comes  back,  give  her  my 
love.  She  was  so  pretty,  with  her  long  golden  curls ! 
I  don't  wonder  the  grand  lady  liked  her.  And  Charlie, 
—  Charlie  was  such  a  good  girl  all  last  summer,  work- 
ing like  a  woman !  Yes  —  if  I  could  only  see  'em 
once  more ! " 

Hal  wiped  away  his  fast  falling  tears.  It  seemed 
too  hard  that  Granny's  unselfish  life  should  not  be 
crowned  at  the  last.  To  die  here,  almost  alone ! 

"  You  remember  the  old  Christmas,  Hal?  The  last 
time  we  were  all  together !  Ah,  how  sweet  it  was ! 
And  the  presents,  and  the  old  shoe  full ! " 

Granny's  voice  sunk  to  a  tremble  of  delight. 

•*  It  was  so  happy,  so  merry !  All  of  'em  laughing 
and  talking,  and  their  bright  pretty  faces  full  of  fun. 
But  —  maybe — I'll  see  'em  all  in  heaven.  Don't  cry, 
Dot." 

Hal  drew  her  to  his  breast,  and  soothed  her  with 
tender  kisses.  Then  he  sat  down  in  the  old  rocker, 
and  took  her  on  his  knee. 

"  There  never  was  such  a  Christmas,  never !  I  was 
so  glad  to  have  you  all,  so  proud  of  you !  And  I've 
done  my  best "  — 

"  Yes,  Granny,  God,  who  watches  over  all  things, 

26 


302  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE     HOME. 

will  bear  witness  to  that.  You  were  mother  and  father 
to  us.  And  how  you  have  toiled  and  worried  and 
made  sacrifices,  how  you  have  loved  us,  will  all  be 
written  in  the  Great  Book.  I'm  glad  you  are  going  to 
have  a  reward  there." 

"  I  shall  see  Joe." 

Then  she  was  quiet  for  a  long  while. 

"  I  can't  remember  any  thing  about  the  Christmas," 
said  Dot  with  much  perplexity. 

"Tell  her,  Hal.  I'll  listen;  and  it  will  seem  all 
fresh  again,"  pleaded  Granny  in  a  faint,  far-off  voice. 

"  You  were  such  a  weeny  little  thing,  and  couldn't 
talk  plain ;  but  then  you  had  always  been  sick." 

"And  cross,"  Kit  says. 

"You  did  use  to  cry — sometimes;  and  then  at 
others  you  were  like  a  little  lamb.  All  children  cry 
occasionally." 

Dot  felt,  somehow,  as  if  she  had  not  outgrown  the 
trick  yet ;  but  the  tears  fell  close  to  Hal's  heart. 

"But  about  the  Christmas?" 

"  Oh,  yes  !  " 

Then  Hal  began.  The  preparations  beforehand,  the 
secrecy  and  plotting,  the  stockings  stuffed  to  overflow- 
ing, and  the  wildest  of  merriment  the  next  morning. 
It  appeared  to  Dot  that  she  could  see  it  like  a  picture. 

"And  O  Hal,  that  we  should  be  so  lonely  now ! 
Hasn't  God  let  us  slip  out  of  his  mind  for  a  little 
while?" 


A  SONG  IN  THE  NIGHT.  303 

"  I  think  not,  my  darling." 

"  But  how  can  you  always  believe?  Why  did  God 
let  Joe  die,  when  we  wanted  him  so  much  ;  and  Flossy 
go  away?  And  all  the  other  things,  —  the  sweet 
pretty  flowers  that  were  frozen?  " 

"My  dear  child,  we  cannot  answer  the  questions. 
Trials  always  appear  very  hard  to  those  who  have 
them  to  bear ;  but  maybe  God  gives  us  one  to  save  us 
from  some  other  that  would  be  a  great  deal  harder. 
And  with'  it  there  is  grace  to  endure." 

"  As  when  you  were  hurt.  I  wonder  that  yon  could 
be  so  patient,  Hal ! "  and  the  little  arms  crept  up 
around  his  neck. 

"  It  was  part  my  nature,  you  know.  I  used  to 
be  sorry  at  school,  that  I  wasn't  like  the  other  boys ; 
for,  somehow,  I  never  was :  but,  when  God  knew  what 
I  would  have  to  bear,  he  made  me  patient,  and  almost 
girlish,  loving  to  stay  in  the  house,  and  all  that.  If 
I'd  been  like  Joe,  I  should  have  fretted  sorely  when  I 
found  I  should  never  be  able  to  go  to  sea.  He  was  so 
full  of  life  and  energy,  you  know,  so  ambitious,  that  it 
would  almost  have  killed  him.  It  was  best  to  have  it 
happen  to  me." 

Dot  sighed,  her  small  brain  being  greatly  puzzled. 

"  But  I  don't  see  why  every  one  cannot  be  happy 
and  prosperous.  Isn't  there  enough  to  go  round  to 
all?" 

"  God  knows  best.   And,  when  it  troubles  me  sorely, 


304  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

I  think  of  the  little  Christ-child,  who  was  born  eighteen 
hundred  years  ago,  all  goodness  and  sweetness  and 
meekness,  and  of  the  trials  he  had  to  bear  for  our 
eakes.  All  the  lowly  life,  the  reviling,  the  unbelief, 
the  persecution,  the  being  homeless,  and  sometimes 
almost  friendless,  and  at  the  last  the  shameful  death. 
We  shall  never  have  all  that,  my  darling ;  and  so  we 
ought  to  bear  our  lesser  sorrows  patiently." 

Dot  made  no  answer. 

"  My  darling,"  said  Hal,  glancing  at  the  clock, 
"  ought  you  not  to  go  to  bed?  It  is  almost  midnight." 

"  And  you?  "  reaching  up  to  kiss  the  dear  face. 

"  I  am  going  to  stay  here  by  Granny." 

Dot  looked  into  his  face  with  great  awe. 

"Hal,  I've  never  seen  any  one  die ;  but  I  want  to 
stay  too.  There's  only  just  you  and  I ;  and  she'll 
want  us  to  kiss  her  for  the  last  time,  when  the  angels 
come." 

Hal  pressed  the  little  face  in  his  trembling  hands, 
but  could  not  deny  the  wistful  eyes. 

Then  he  rose,  and  looked  at  Granny.  She  had 
fallen  into  a  peaceful  slumber.  It  did  not  seem  as  if 
she  could  die  just  then ;  and  yet,  at  this  hour  of  re- 
joicing, some  souls  were  slipping  out  of  the  world. 

He  came  back  to  his  seat,  and  to  his  little  sister. 
Dot's  head  was  pillowed  on  his  knee,  and  presently  she 
began  to  drowse.  Poor  little  bairn  ! 

So  he  kept  his  vigil  by  himself,  thinking  over  the 


A  SONG  IN  THE  NIGHT.  305 

old  days,  when  they  were  all  here.  Oh,  if  Granny 
could  have  seen  them  once  more !  If  the  brave  and 
lovely  men  and  women  could  come  back  to  the  old 
home-nest,  all  outgrown,  —  and  he  smiled  sadly  to  him- 
self,— just  to  clasp  each  other's  hands,  and  glance 
into  each  other's  eyes,  to  speak  some  word  of  comfort 
and  blessing,  to  smooth  the  path  of  the  dear  heart 
yonder,  who  had  given  herself  for  them  without  stint 
or  grudging,  a  holier  sacrifice  than  even  a  mother's 
love. 

His  mind  was  sorely  troubled  when  he  thought  of 
Florence.  Since  childhood  she  had  "  lain  in  the  roses 
and  lilies  of  life."  They  had  borne  the  burden  and 
sorrow,  the  trials,  the  deprivations,  days  of  toil,  nights 
of  anxious  care  about  the  future.  And  it  seemed  as  if 
none  of  them  had  been  especially  prospered.  She  had 
gone  to  luxury  at  a  bound.  "Where  was  she  to-night  ? 
Did  any  remembrance  of  them  ever  cross  her  soul, 
amid  her  wealth  and  pleasure? 

Poor  Joe  again !  It  was  the  sad  refrain  to  which  hia 
life  would  be  forever  set,  like  a  strain  of  minor  music. 
He  loved  Joe  so  dearly !  There  was  such  a  soreness, 
such  an  aching  and  longing  in  his  heart,  that  it  some- 
times seemed  as  if  he  could  stretch  out  his  arms,  and 
search  among  the  tangled  seaweed  until  he  found  Joe, 
and  lift  him  out  of  his  cold  bed.  One  bright  dream 
broken  off  in  the  middle. 

There  had  been  so  much  to  take  up  bis  attention 


306  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

this  winter,  that  he  had  hardly  felt  anxious  for  Charlie. 
Her  cheerful  little  notes  were  like  stray  sunbeams,  and 
she  had  promised  to  come  back.  Ah,  if  it  could  only 
be  in  time  to  say  good-by  to  Granny ! 

Now  and  then  he  shut  his  eyes,  and  breathed  a 
tender  prayer,  —  that  God  wouM  keep  them  all;  that, 
no  matter  how  far  they  strayed  irom  each  other,  they 
might  never  stray  from  him. 

The  lamp  burned  dimly  in  the  room  beyond. 
Granny  still  slept  peacefully,  and  Dot's  baby  hand  was 
fast  clasped  in  his.  All  was  still  to  awesomeness. 
Even  the  storm  without  must  have  ceased. 

"  Hal,"  called  the  dear  voice 

Gently  as  he  laid  Dot  down,  the  movement  woke  her. 

"  Give  me  a  little  drink,  Hal,  please,"  Granny 
asked. 

He  brought  her  some  wine. 

"  I  wonder  if  there  is  any  thing  that  I  could  eat?" 

"  I  left  some  chicken-broth  on  the  stove  to  keep 
warm,  and  there  is  a  little  jelly." 

"  I've  had  such  a  nice  sleep,  Hal !  I  feel  so  rested ! 
It  was  almost  like  being  in  heaven,  for  Joe  seemed  to 
have  his  arms  around  my  neck.  Is  it  morning  ?  " 

"  Almost." 

" Oh !"  exclaimed  Dot,  "it  is  clear  and  beautiful, 
with  hosts  of  stars!  I  wonder  if  any  shepherd 
watches  them  and  thinks  "  — 

'"In  Bethlehem  of  Judea,' "  said  Granny  in  a  chant- 


A  SONG  IN  THE  NIGHT.  307 

mg  tone.  " '  Unto  you  is  born  a  Saviour,  which  is 
Christ  the  Lord/" 

'•  How  strange  it  seems !     Christmas  morning ! " 

Hal  brought  the  chicken  and  the  jelly.  Granny  ate 
remarkably  for  her.  Then  he  placed  his  fingers  on  her 
pulse.  It  certainly  teas  stronger. 

"  I  do  think  she  is  better,"  he  said  to  Dot,  who  had 
followed  him  to  the  kitchen. 

"  O  Hal !  maybe  she  won't  die.  I  never  saw  any- 
body"— 

"  She  was  nervous  last  night,  thinking  so  much  of 
Joe,"  rejoined  Hal  softly  in  the  pause  that  Dot  did  not 
finish. 

"  Tm  so  glad  to  have  her  better ! " 

"Children,"  Granny  said  when  they  came  back, 
"it  is  Christmas  morning,  and  yon  ought  to  sing. 
Everybody  keeps  Christmas." 

Dot  glanced  up  in  tearful  surprise.  What  was  she 
thinking  of,  —  angels  in  heaven  ? 

41  They  sang  on  the  plains  of  Jndea,  you  know." 

An  awesome  chill  crept  over  Hal.  Was  this  the 
change  that  sometimes  preceded  the  last  step  over  the 
narrow  river?  Had  Granny  received  that  solemn  call? 

"Sing,"  she  said  again.  "Some  of  the  bright 
Christmas  hymns." 

Hal's  heart  was  throbbing  up  to  his  throat.  He  did 
net  know  whether  he  could  trust  his  voice. 

"What  shall  it  be,  Dot?" 


308  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

She  thought  a  moment.  "'Wonderful  Night,'" 
she  answered.  "But,  oh!  I  feel  more  like  crying.  I 
can't  help  it." 

The  two  voices  rose  tremblingly  in  the  beautiful 
carol. 

"Wonderful  night, 
Wonderful  night  1 
Angels  and  shining  immortals, 
Thronging  the  heavenly  portals, 
Fling  out  their  banner  of  light. 
Wonderful,  wonderful  night!" 

They  sang  until  they  forgot  sorrow  and  toil  and  pov- 
erty, and  the  great  fear  that  overshadowed  them.  The 
soft  voice  of  the  child  Dot  growing  stronger,  and  the 
pain  in  Hal's  slipping  away,  changing  into  faith  and 
trust.  For,  as  he  sung,  he  grew  wonderfully  calm,  even 
hopeful. 

"It's  like  heaven,  children!  I've  been  thinking  it 
all  over,  and  God  does  know  best.  If  they  were  all 
here,  it  would  be  harder  for  me  to  go." 

The  two  kissed  each  other  amid  fast  falling  tears. 
When  they  glanced  up  again  a  faint  streak  of  dawn 
stole  in  at  the  window. 

"How  strange!"  exclaimed  Dot.  "We  have  not 
been  to  bed  at  all,  only  I  had  a  nap  on  your  knee  *' 
Then  very  softly,  — 

"  Merry  Christmas,  Hal." 

"  Merry  Christmas  to  you,  my  little  darling." 


A  SONG  IN  THE  NIGHT.  309 

Then  Hal  looked  at  the  fires,  and  hurried  them  up  a 
trifle.  How  lovely  it  was  without !  Over  the  whole 
earth  lay  a  mantle  of  whitest  ermine.  Tree  and  shrub 
were  robed  in  fleecy  garments,  —  arrayed  for  this 
Christmas  morning.  As  the  sun  began  to  quiver  in 
the  east  they  sparkled  with  a  thousand  gems. 

It  seemed  like  the  beginning  of  a  new  life.  Why, 
he  could  not  tell,  but  he  never  forgot  the  feeling  of 
solemn  sweetness  that  stole  over  him  as  he  stood  by 
the  window  in  the  flower-room,  looking  over  to  the 
infinite,  fancying  that  earth  and  heaven  met  thig 
morning ;  the  fine  gold  of  the  one  blending  with  the 
snowy  whiteness  of  the  other.  So  pure  was  the  soul 
of  the  little  child  born  eighteen  hundred  years  ago. 

Within,  it  was  all  fragrance  and  beauty.  The  plains 
of  the  Orient  could  not  have  been  more  odorous  in  that 
early  dawn.  Unconsciously  he  hummed  over  two  or 
three  lines,  — 

"  Midnight  scarcely  passed  and  over, 

Drawing  to  this  holy  morn ; 
Very  early,  very  early  — 

Christ  was  born." 

They  went  about  their  simple  homely  duties,  as  if 
some  unbidden  guest  had  entered,  whose  presence 
filled  the  space  out  of  which  a  dear  face  had  vanished. 

"  Granny  is  better,  I  am  sure,"  Dot  said,  preparing 
some  breakfast  for  her. 


310  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  I  am  so  thankful !  " 

"  Listen  to  the  church-bell !  How  faintly  it  cornea 
ploughing  through  the  snow  ;  but  oh,  how  sweet !  Hal, 
I  can't  help  feeling  happy.  I  wonder  if  it  is  wrong, 
when  we  were  so  sad  last  night?" 

Something  floated  through  Hal's  brain,  —  "Sorrow 
may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morn- 
ing." He  brushed  a  tear  away  from  his  eye ;  but  it 
was  tenderness  rather  than  sorrow. 

While  Dot  was  cooking  her  dainty  breakfast,  Hal 
took  a  turn  at  shovelling  snow,  clearing  the  old  door- 
step, and  part  of  the  path.  It  made  his  cheeks  rosy, 
and  the  fresh  crisp  air  took  the  tired  look  out  of  his 
eyes. 

"  Granny  has  been  asking  for  you,"  Dot  said,  as  he 
came  in. 

He  warmed  his  hands,  and  entered  the  room.  Dot 
lingered  by  the  window,  glancing  up  and  down  the 
unbroken  road.  Not  a  sound  anywhere.  It  absolutely 
seemed  to  her  as  if  a  little  bird  ought  to  come  out  of 
the  snowy  trees,  and  sing. 

Something  attracted  her  attention,  —  a  man  striding 
along,  muffled  up  to  the  ears,  looking  this  way  and 
that,  as  if  considering  how  best  to  extricate  himself 
from  the  last  plunge,  and  make  another.  No,  it  was 
not  Dr.  Meade,  — no  one  for  them  thus  early  in  the 
morning. 

Still  she  looked,  and  smiled  a  little.     The  strong, 


A  SONG  IN  THE  NIGHT.  811 

manful  tread  was  good  to  behold.  "When  he  reached 
the  house,  he  paused,  appeared  to  be  considering,  then 
wheeled  about. 

She  laughed  this  time.  He  placed  his  hand  on  the 
gate-post,  and  leaped  over.  It  was  such  a  boyish, 
agile  spring !  In  the  path  he  stamped  off  the  snow, 
came  straight  to  the  door,  and  knocked. 

Dot  started,  and  opened  it.  A  tall,  laughing  fellow, 
with  a  bronze  brown  beard  and  swarthy  cheeks,  lighted 
with  a  healthful  glow  of  crimson.  What  was  there  so 
oddly  familiar  in  the  laughing  eyes? 

For  an  instant  he  did  not  speak.  Dot  began  to  color 
with  embarrassment,  and  half  turned  to  summon  Hal. 

"  Oh,  if  s  Dot,  little  Dot !  And  you  have  forgotten 
me!" 

The  rich,  ringing  voice  electrified  Hal.  He  made  a 
rush  hi  a  blind,  dazed  way ;  for  the  room  swam  round, 
and  it  seemed  almost  as  if  he  were  dying. 

"  Oh,  it  isn't  Joe !  dear  old  Joe  !  " 

And  then  Hal  felt  the  strong  arms  around  him. 
The  glowing  cheek  was  against  his,  and  there  were 
tears  and  kisses,  for  Hal  was  crying  like  a  baby.  I've 
done  my  best  with  him,  I  want  you  to  observe ;  but 
I'm  afraid  he  will  be  a  "  girl  "-boy  to  the  end.  But 
nothing  ever  was  so  sweet  as  that  clasp ;  and  Joe's 
love  on  this  side  of  the  shining  river  seemed  the  next 
best  thing  to  the  infinite  love  beyond. 

"  Oh,  I  can't  believe  it ! "  he  sobbed.  "  Did  God 
raise  you  from  the  sea,  Joe  ?  for  we  heard  "  — 


812  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Yes,"  with  a  great  tremble  in  the  tone.  "It's 
just  like  being  raised  from  the  dead.  And  oh,  Hal, 
God  only  knows  how  glad  I  am  to  come  back  to  you 
all!" 

Hal  hid  his  face  in  the  curly  beard,  and  tried  to  stop 
the  tears  that  would  flow  in  spite  of  his  courageous 
efforts. 

There  was  a  call  from  the  other  room,  —  a  wild,  tender 
cry,  —  and  the  next  instant  Joe  was  hugging  Granny 
to  his  throbbing,  thankful  heart.  You  could  hear  nothing 
but  the  soft  sobs  that  sounded  like  summer  rain,  blown 
about  by  the  south  wind.  Ah,  how  sweet,  how  satisfy- 
ing !  "What  was  poverty  and  care  and  trouble  and  loss, 
so  long  as  they  had  Joe  back  again  ? 

"Oh!"  cried  Granny,  "I'm  willing  to  die  now. 
I've  seen  him,  my  darling ! " 

"  Why,  Granny,  that  would  be  blackest  ingratitude. 
Here  I've  lived  through  all  my  narrow  escapes,  and 
they  have  been  enough  to  kill  any  ten  men,  and,  by 
way  of  welcome,  you  talk  of  dying.  Why,  I'll  run 
back,  and  jump  into  the  sea ! " 

"  She  has  been  very  sick,"  said  Hal. 

"  But  she  means  to  get  well  now.  Dear  old  Gran 
ny !  We  couldn't  keep  house  without  you." 

They  knew  well  enough  then  that  it  was  Joe,  and 
not  a  Christmas  ghost ;  for  no  one  ever  did  have  such 
a  rich  merry  voice,  such  a  ringing  laugh,  and  oh,  the 
dear  bright  eyes,  shining  like  an  April  sky  I 


A  SONG  IN  THE  NIGHT.  813 

Granny  looked  him  all  over.  How  he  had  changed ! 
A  great  strong,  splendid  fellow,  whose  smiling  face  put 
new  hope  into  one. 

"  I  almost  feel  as  if  I  could  get  well,"  she  said 
weakly. 

"  Of  course  you  will ;  for,  Granny,  I  have  the  silk 
gown,  and  we'll  have  just  the  jolliest  time  there  has 
ever  been  in  this  little  shanty.  But  where  are  all  the 
rest?" 

"  Kit  is  at  work  in  Salem,  and  he  meant  to  come 
home  last  night ;  but  I  suppose  the  storm  prevented." 

"  It  was  terrible!  I've  travelled  night  and  day  to 
reach  home  by  Christmas.  And  last  night,  when  the 
trains  had  to  go  at  a  snail's  pace,  or  were  snowed  in, 
I  couldn't  stand  it,  so  I  took  a  sleigh  ;  but  we  lost  the 
road,  and  twenty  other  things ;  and  then  the  horse 
gave  out :  it  was  such  fearful,  wearing  work.  And, 
when  I  came  in  sight  of  Terry's  old  store,  I  wouldn't 
stop,  but  trudged  on  afoot ;  for  I  wanted  you  to  know, 
first  of  all,  that  I  was  safe  and  alive." 

"It's  just  like  a  dream  ;  and  oh,  Joe,  the  merriest 
Christmas  there  ever  can  be ! " 

"Where's  that  midget  of  a  Charlie?" 

"  Ran  away !  It's  very  funny ; "  and  Hal  smiled, 
with  tears  in  his  eyes. 

"But  you  know  where  she  is?" 

"I  think  she  is  in  New  York, — I'm  pretty  sure. ; 
and  she  has  promised  to  come  home." 
27 


314  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Well,  that  beats  my  time!  Ran  away!  She 
threatened  to  do  it,  3-011  know.  And  here  I've  for- 
gotten all  about  little  Dot !  You  don't  deserve  to  be 
kissed  nor  made  much  of,  you  small  woman,  when  j'ou 
never  gave  me  a  word  of  welcome,  but,  instead,  a  cold, 
unfriendly  stare.  You  don't  remember  Joe,  who  broke 
his  delicate  constitution  canying  you  round  on  his 
back  to  keep  3*ou  from  crying." 

With  that  he  caught  her  up,  and  perched  her  on  the 
edge  of  Granny's  bed.  She  was  very  shy,  and  turned 
a  brilliant  scarlet.  This  great  strange  fellow  their  dear, 
sweet  Joe  ?  She  could  not  believe  it ! 

"  And  3"ou  really  were  not  drowned,"  said  Granny, 
still  anxious. 

"  Not  exactly,"  with  a  droll  twinkle  of  the  eye. 

"  We  heard"  — 

"  Yes,  the  brave  little  '  Argemone  '  went  clown,  and 
she  was  a  beauty*.  But  such  a  frightful  storm !  You 
can  form  no  idea  of  it.  Some  day  I'll  tell  you  all 
Our  time  is  too  precious  for  the  long  story  now." 

"  And  3Tou  wouldn't  get  in  the  boat,"  said  Granny, 
her  pale  washed-out  eyes  alight  with  pride. 

"  There  were  three  3*oung  fellows  of  us  besides  the 
sick  captain,  and  we  had  no  wives  nor  babies ;  so  it 
seemed  right  that  we  should  give  the  others  the  first 
chance.  It  was  a  miracle  that  they  were  saved.  I 
never  thought  they  would  be.  We  lashed  ourselves  to 
some  timbers,  and  trusted  the  winds  and  waves.  What 


A  SONG  IN  THE  NIGHT.  815 

those  days  and  nights  were  I  can  never  tell  you !  I 
know  now  what  that  brave  old  soldier  and  sailor,  St. 
Paul,  meant  when  he  said,  '  A  day  and  a  night  have  I 
been  in  the  deep.' " 

Hal  gave  the  sun-browned  hand  a  tender  squeeze. 

"An  Arabian  trading  vessel  picked  us  up  at  last. 
We  thought  Jack  was  dead,  but  after  a  long  while  he 
revived.  We  were  all  perfectly  exhausted.  I  could 
send  no  word,  and  then  I  resolved  to  come  home  just 
as  soon  as  I  could.  I  fancied  you  would  hear  of  the 
loss.  Did  that  make  Granny  ill  ?  " 

"  No,  she  was  sick  before." 

"  But  Til  get  well  now,"  she  rejoined  humbly.  "  I 
didn't  want  to,  you  know.  Heaven  seemed  so  much 
better." 

Joe  bent  over  and  kissed  her,  wondering  if  he  ever 
could  repay  the  tender  love. 

"  Have  you  ever  heard  from  "  — 

There  was  no  need  of  a  name. 

"  She  was  married  more  than  a  year  ago.  I  wrote 
that  to  you.  There  have  been  no  tidings  since." 

"Are  you  going  to  have  any  breakfast?"  asked 
Dot.  "  M}-  muffins  will  be  spoiled." 

"  Yes,  indeed !  I'm  hungry  as  a  bear.  Granny, 
shall  I  carry  you  out? " 

She  laughed  in  her  old  cracked,  tremulous  fashion, 
good  to  hear.  To  Hal  it  seemed  the  beginning  of  a 
new  life. 


316  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  I  guess  I'll  lie  still  and  think  a  bit,  for  I  can't 
make  it  true.  It's  just  as  if  we  watched  for  him  last 
night,  Hal,  and  to-day  is  a  day  of  great  joy." 

Dot's  cotfee  and  muffins  were  delightful.  Then  she 
broiled  over  a  little  of  the  chicken  that  had  been  left 
from  the  day  before,  and  they  had  quite  a  sumptuous 
breakfast. 

"  How  odd  it  seems  to  have  Dot  any  thing  but  a 
baby  !  "  laughed  Joe.  "  It's  quite  ridiculous  for  her  to 
set  up  housekeeping.  Small  young  woman,  you  can't 
impose  upon  me." 

"  But  she  is  ro}ral  at  it ; "  and  Hal  gave  her  a  fond 
smile. 

"  Now  tell  me  all  that  has  happened :  I'm  crazy  to 
know.  I  believe  I've  not  heard  a  word  in  six  or  eight 
months,"  declared  Joe. 

So  Hal  went  back  to  the  summer,  —  losing  the 
school,  Charlie's  running  away,  Granny's  illness,  Kit's 
going  to  Salem,  the  mishap  of  the  flowers,  even  the 
vigil  of  last  night,  when  they  believed  Granny  dying. 

"  But  it  will  be  a  merry  Christmas,"  Joe  said  with  a 
great  tremble  in  his  voice.  "  And  you  can  never 
guess  how  glad  I  am  to  be  safe  and  alive,  to  comfort 
you  all.  Dear,  dear  Granny !  —  the  best  and  bravest 
heart  in  the  wide  world,  and  the  most  loving." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

IN  THE   OLD   HOME-NEST   AGAIN. 


sat  over  their  breakfast,  and  talked  a  long 
•*•  while.  And  then,  after  another  glimpse  at  Gran- 
ny, they  went  up  to  see  the  flowers,  which  had  begun 
to  recover  rapidly  from  their  misfortune. 

"  Why,  Hal,  it's  a  perfect  little  green-house,  and  oh, 
how  fragrant  !  There  are  some  tuberoses  coming  out. 
What  an  awful  shame  about  that  cold  night  !  So  you 
have  wrecks  on  the  land  as  well  as  on  the  sea  ?  " 

"  I  don't  mind  now.  Your  return  makes  up  for  all 
the  misfortunes.  We  will  have  enough  for  some 
bouquets  to-day  ;  "  and  Hal's  face  was  one  grateful 
smile. 

"  And  what  will  we  have  for  dinner?"  asked  Dot. 
"  It  ought  to  be  a  feast.  I  wonder  if  Kit  will  get 
home  in  time  ?  Oh,  I'll  tell  you  !  we  will  not  have 
our  dinner  until  about  three." 

"  Sensible  to  the  last,  Dot.  Why,  it  is  almost  ten 
now  ;  and  our  breakfasts  have  just  been  swallowed." 

"  We  will  have  some  chickens,"  exclaimed  Hal. 

"  And  a  cranberry  pie." 

37*  81T 


318  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Who  is  to  make  it,  — you,  or  Hal?  "  laughed  Joe. 
' '  He  used  to  be  my  very  dear  Mrs.  Betty.  I  dou't  know 
how  we  should  ever  have  lived  without  him.  Hal,  I 
must  confess  that  there's  some  rare  good  fortune  in 
store  for  me.  I  had  to  stop  a  while  in  New  York  ;  and 
to  think  I  should  stumble  over  one  of  the  very  men 
who  was  last  to  leave  '  The  Argemone.'  And  he 
tells  such  a  marvellous  story !  I  suppose  ever}'  thing 
looked  different  out  there  in  the  storm  and  darkness 
and  night,  with  death  staring  us  in  the  face ;  for,  after 
all,  I  only  did  my  duty,  and  our  poor  captain  lying 
sick  too !  I  don't  mean  ever  to  go  very  far  away 
while  —  while  Granny  lives ;  but  there's  nothing  like 
the  sea  for  me  ! " 

"  Oh !  "  exclaimed  Hal,  with  a  soft  little  sigh. 

"  Well,  the  upshot  of  it  was,  that  they,  the  owners, 
and  this  Mr.  Parker,  made  me  take  a  little  gift,  —  five 
hundred  dollars.  I  know  where  I  can  get  enough  more 
to  build  a  real  green-house.  You  see,  the  fall  off  the 
hay- wagon  did  for  you ;  and  you'll  never  be  a  great 
hulking  fellow  like  me,  fit  to  take  the  rough  and  tumble 
of  life." 

Hal  clasped  the  arm  that  was  thrown  protectingly 
around  him. 

"  No,  you'll  never  be  very  Strong;  and  you  shall 
have  the  green-house.  That  will  set  you  up  for  old 
age  even." 

"  Dear,  noble  Joe  1 " 


IN  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST  AGAIN.  319 

"Not  half  as  noble  as  you.  I  often  used  to  think 
of  you,  Hal,  out  there,  miles  and  miles  away,  amid  all 
manner  of  strange  sights  ;  and  it  was  my  one  comfort 
that  you'd  always  stand  by  Granny.  What  comrades 
you  have  been !  And  after  this,  you  see,  I  shall  be  able 
to  do  my  share." 

Hal  winked  away  some  tears. 

"Here's  where  we  used  to  sleep.  Oh!  did  you 
dream  then  that  I'd  be  so  tall  I  should  have  to  go 
round,  bowing  my  head  to  every  doorway,  just  as  if  I 
believed  in  Chinese  idols  ?  And  here's  the  old  garret, 
where  we  dreamed  our  dreams.  Hal,  my  darling,  I'm 
glad  to  see  every  old  board  and  crack  and  crevice  in 
this  blessed  place ! " 

They  went  down  presently.  Joe  stole  off  to  Granny 
again,  while  Hal  and  Dot  went  about  their  household 
affairs.  Hal  soon  had  a  couple  of  chickens  for  roast- 
ing. Dot  made  some  savory  dressing,  stirred  up  her 
fire,  baked  her  pie  first,  and  then  put  the  chickens  in 
the  oven.  Hal  shovelled  away  the  snow,  and  took  out 
two  beautiful  heads  of  celery,  crisp  and  creamy. 

Dr.  Meade  dropped  in.  You  may  imagine  bis 
rejoicing.  They  made  him  promise  over  and  over 
again,  that  he  would  not  tell  a  single  soul  in  Madison. 
They  wanted  this  dear  Christmas  Day  to  themselves. 

"  He's  a  hero  to  be  proud  of,  Granny,"  exclaimed 
the  doctor  delightedly.  "  Such  a  great  stalwart  fel- 
low, with  a  beard  like  a  Turk,  and  a  voice  like  an 


320  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME 

organ !  Why,  he  overtops  us  all !  Dot,  if  I  were  in 
your  place,  I  should  give  his  pockets  a  wide  berth ;  foi 
he  could  stow  away  such  a  weeny  thing  before  your 
disconsolate  friends  would  miss  you." 

Dot  laughed,  as  if  she  wasn't  much  afraid. 

"The  excitement  has  not  hurt  Granny?"  queried 
Hal. 

"No,  indeed!  It's  better  than  quarts  of  my 
tonics,  and  gallons  of  port  wine.  She  only  wanted  a 
good  strong  motive  to  give  the  blood  a  rush  through 
her  veins." 

"  I  was  quite  afraid  last  night." 

"  She'll  weather  it  through,  and  come  out  in  the 
spring  like  a  lark.  O  Hal,  my  dear  boy,  God  is  won- 
derful !  '  And  so  He  bringeth  them  to  the  haven 
where  they  would  be.' " 

"  Yes.     I've  been  thinking  of  it  all  the  morning." 

"Merry  Christmas,  everj'body.  Not  a  word  will 
I  say." 

Joe  was  still  watching  by  the  window,  when  another 
sleigh  stopped,  and  a  brisk  little  figure  sprang  out, 
running  up  the  walk.  He  opened  the  door. 

"  Hillo ! "  he  cried.  "  Here  comes  Kit,  scalp-lock, 
fiddle,  and  all." 

"  Oh !  "  in  the  utmost  wonder  and  amazement,  glan- 
cing around  as  if  suddenly  bereft  of  his  senses.  "  Oh, 
it  isn't  Joe,  raised  out  of  the  sea !  It  can't  be ! " 

"  Pity  the  poor  fishoe,"  said  Joe  comically.     "  Think 


nr  THE  OLD  HOJtE-XEST  AGAIN.  821 

bf  the  banquet  to  which  they  might  hare  asked  afi 
their  relations." 

And  then  Kit  was  in  his  arms,  crying  and  laughing ; 
and,  if  Joe's  head  had  not  been  securely  fastened,  it 
never  could  hare  stood  the  pressure. 

"Oh,  dear  d«tHing  old  Joe !  How  were  you  saved? 
What  did  Granny  say?" 

And  then  the  little  goose  had  to  go  and  cry  over 
Granny. 

44  Ton  have  really  achieved  a  fiddle,"  exclaimed  Joe 
at  length.  "  Kit,  my  dear,  yon  are  on  the  high  road 
to  fame." 

"  Xot  very  ft^V  returned  Kit.  "  But  if  s  splendid 
to  have.  Hal  gave  it  to  me,  and  I  can  play  quite 
welL" 

'•We  shall  have  to  give  a  party  some  day,  —  a 
golden  wedding  for  Granny." 

••  Or  a  golden  Christmas.  O  Joe !  I  can't  believe  it 
a  bit.  I  was  awfully  disappointed  last  night  when  it 
stormed,  and  they  said  I  shouldn't  come  home.  I 
thought  how  lonely  Dot  and  Hal  would  be  this  morn- 
ing." 

The  two  smiled  at  each  other,  remembering  the 
Christmas  hymns  in  the  gray  dawn. 

Dot*  s  dinner  began  to  diffuse  its  aroma  around  the 
room.  What  with  boiling  and  baking,  she  had  her 
hands  full. 

"Let  us  put  both  tables  together,"  she  said  to  Hal 


322  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  It  will  give  us  so  much  more  room.  And  it's  to  be 
a  regular  feast." 

"Over  the  prodigal  son,"  rejoined  Joe.  "Kit, 
here,  who  spends  his  substance  in  fiddles  and  riotous 
living." 

"  No :  it  is  Dot  who  does  the  latter." 

Dot  laughed.  "You  will  not  complain,  when  I  ask 
you  to  share  the  riotous  living,"  she  said. 

The  tables  were  set  out,  and  Dot  hunted  up  the  best 
cloth.  White  enough  it  was  too.  Then  the  plates : 
how  many  were  there?  For  somehow  her  wits 
seemed  to  have  gone  wool-gathering,  and  she  had  a 
misgiving  lest  some  of  them  might  disappear. 

"Oh!" 

Kit  gave  a  great  cry,  dashed  open  the  door,  and  flew 
down  the  walk,  his  scalp-lock  flying,  until  he  went 
head  first  into  a  snowbank. 

"  Kit's*  demented,  and  there's  a  girl  at  the  bottom 
of  it,"  said  Joe.  "O  Kit!  you've  gone  the  way  of 
mankind  early." 

"  It's  Charlie!"  almost  screamed  Dot,  following  as 
if  she  had  been  shot  out  of  a  seventy -four  pounder. 

"  Charlie !    Oh,  what  a  blessed,  blessed  Christmas  !  " 

They  dragged  Charlie  in,  —  not  by  the  hair  of  her 
head,  for  that  was  hardty  long  enough.  Charlie,  in  a 
pretty  brown  dress  and  cloak,  a  squirrel  collar  and 
muff,  a  jaunty  hat  with  green  velvet  bands  and  a  green 
feather.  She  was  quite  tall,  and  not  so  thin  ;  and  a 


J3T  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST  AGAUT.  523 

winter  of  good  care  had  completed  the  bleaching  pro- 
cess commenced  at  the  mill.  She  was  many  shades 
fairer,  with  a  soft  bloom  on  her  cheek,  while  her  mouth 
no  longer  threatened  to  make  the  top  of  her  head  an 


"  O  Hal  !  and  where's  Granny?    And  "  — 

She  paused  before  Joe. 

"  Why,  Charlie,  you're  grown  so  handsome  that  you 
really  don't  know  your  poor  relations." 

"  If  s  Joe  !  What  a  great  giant  !  Oh  !  when  did 
he  come?" 

44  And  we  thought  him  drowned,'*  said  Dot,  hah**  cry- 
ing. "  We  heard  it  ever  so  long  ago  !  It  was  so 
splendid  to  hare  him  come  back  !  * 

"  Shut  the  door,"  exclaimed  Hal. 

"  Why,  I  thought  it  was  dreadful  cold,"  said  K3t, 
glancing  round  at  the  wide  open  door. 

44  Cold  isn't  any  word  for  it  !  If  we  had  a  cast-iron 
dog  we  should  hare  to  tie  him  to  the  store-leg  to  keep 
his  hair  from  freezing  off.  If  s  lucky  I  wear  a  wig." 

44  You're  the  same  old  Joe,"  said  Charlie,  laughing. 

"  But  where  hare  you  been,  Charlie  ?  " 

44  In  New  York.  I've  such  lots  and  lots  to  tell  yon. 
But  oh,  I  must  see  Granny  !  " 

So  Granny  had  to  be  hugged  and  kissed,  and  every- 
body went  to  look.  They  all  talked  and  laughed  and 
eried  in  the  same  breath  ;  and  nobody  knew  what  was 
said,  only  they  were  aU  there  together  again,  and 
Granny  was  alive. 


324  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  I  intended  to  come  home  yesterday,  but  it  stormed 
BO  fearfully ;  and  to-day  there  were  so  many  detentions, 
that  I  began  almost  to  despair.  But  I  had  some 
Christmas  for  darling  Granny,  and  I  couldn't  wait.  See 
here,"  —  and  Charlie  began  to  search  her  pockets  en- 
ergetically. "  Fifty  dollars,  Granny;  and  I  earned  it 
all  my  own  self,  besides  ever  so  much  more.  And  I'm 
going  to  be  a  —  a  "  — 

"  Genius,"  said  Kit.     "  Hooray  for  Charlie  !  " 

"  It's  all  about  the  pictures.  Mr.  Darol  sold  some 
designs  for  me,  and  I  wanted  Granny  to  have  the 
money  ;  but  I  never  dreamed  that  she  had  been  sick. 
And  did  you  miss  me  much?  I  never  told  Mr.  Darol 
about  it  until  yesterday.  I  suppose  it  wasn't  right. 
And  oh !  Granny,  I'm  sorry  if  I've  given  you  the  least 
mite  of  pain ;  but  all  the  time  I've  been  as  happy  as 
Joe's  big  sunflower." 

"  We  shall  set  Granny  crazy,"  said  thoughtful  Hal. 

"  Oh,  my  dinner!  "  and  Dot  flew  to  the  stove-oven 
like  the  "  moon-eyed  herald  of  dismay." 

There  was  no  damage  done.  The  chickens  were 
browned  to  a  turn.  She  took  them  out  on  a  dish,  and 
made  her  gravy,  and  then  Hal  came  to  help  with  the 
vegetables.  Potatoes,  onions,  carrots  stewed  with 
milk  dressing,  cranberry  sauce,  celery,  —  altogether  a 
fit  repast  for  anybody's  Christmas  dinner. 

"  If  Granny  could  only  come?" 

"  I've  been  thinking  that  we  might  take  her  up  a 


nr  THE  OLD  HOME-VEST  AGAIN.  325 

little  while  at  dessert.  She  asked  to  sit  op  before 
Charlie  came.  What  a  day  of  excitement ! " 

44  O  Hal !  if  s  an  lovely.  And  I  can't  help  thinking 
how  good  God  was  not  to  let  her  die  in  the  night, 
when  we  were  to  have  such  a  happy  day.  He  saw  it, 
with  the  angels  keeping  Christmas  around  him ;  didn't 
he,  Hal?  "said  little  Dot. 

"  Yes,  my  darling." 

"  And  Fm  so  fall  of  joy !  I  can't  help  crying  every 
other  minute!  And  to  think  of  that  magnificent 
Charlie  earning  fifty  dollars ! " 

Hal  went  to  summon  the  "  children,"  and  explain  to 
Granny,  that  if  she  would  be  very  quiet,  and  take  a 
good  rest,  she  might  get  up  when  the  dessert  was 
brought  on.  The  old  woebegone  look  had  vanished 
from  her  face,  and  the  faded  eyes  held  in  their  depths 
a  tender  brightness. 

She  assented  rather  unwillingly  to  the  proposal,  for 
she  could  hardly  bear  them  out  of  her  sight  an  instant. 
Hal  closed  the  door  between,  but  she  begged  him  to 
open  it  again. 

"  Td  like  to  hear  you  talk.  I'll  lie  still,  and  never 
say  a  word." 

A  happy  group  they  were,  gathered  round  the  table. 
Dot  was  perched  up  at  the  head,  and  Hal  took  the 
opposite  end,  to  do  the  carving.  They  had  time,  then, 
to  look  round  and  see  how  pretty  Charlie  was  growing. 
The  contact  with  refinement,  and,  in  *  certain  sense, 


**26  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

society,  bad  improved  her  very  much.  If  any  thing, 
*he  had  grown  still  farther  out  of  the  Wilcox  sphere. 

Then  she  had  to  tell  her  story. 

"  You  really  don't  mean  Mary  Jane  Wilcox?"  inter- 
rupted Joe.  "  Why,  we  used  to  go  to  school  to- 
gether ! " 

"  I  never  thought  of  them,"  said  Hal,  "  when  I  was 
considering  where  I  could  write.  Then  Granny  was 
taken  sick,  and  the  bad  news  about  Joe,  —  and  some- 
how I  had  a  fancy  that  you  were  safe." 

"  Mrs.  Wilcox  has  been  like  a  mother.  She  is  good, 
and  I  do  like  her ;  but,  somehow,  she  is  not  our  kind, 
after  all.  But  oh,  if  you  could  only  see  Mr.  Darol ! 
I  am  going  to  stay  a  whole  week,  and  he  is  coming  out 
ttere.  I  told  them  all  about  you,  Hal." 

Hal  colored  a  little. 

"  I'm  glad  I  went,  and  made  a  beginning.  There  is 
ever  so  much  hard  work  before  me ;  but  it  is  what  I 
like.  I  am  actually  studying  wood  engraving.  And 
Miss  Charteris  found  me  some  work  to  do  in  my  leisure 
time.  She  is  as  lovely  as  she  can  be,  and  a  real 
artist.  Think  of  her  getting  five  hundred  dollars  for 
a  picture !  " 

"  And  if  you  should  ever  do  that !  "  said  Kit  admi- 
ringly. 

"No:  I  haven't  that  kind  of  genius.  But  they  all 
do  say  that  my  talent  for  designing  is  remarkable ;  and 
I  shall  be  able  to  earn  a  good  deal  of  money,  even  if 


IN  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST  AGAIN.  327 

I  do  not  get  as  much  at  one  time.  Pm  so  glad,  and 
so  thankful ! " 

They  all  looked  at  brave  Charlie ;  and,  somehow,  it 
didn't  seem  as  if  she  were  the  little  harum-scarum, 
who  never  had  a  whole  dress  for  six  consecutive  hours, 
who  ran  around  H<ire-headed  and  bare-footed,  and  was 
the  tint  of  a  copper-colored  Indian.  Why,  she  was 
almost  as  elegant  as  Flossy,  but  with  a  nobler  grace. 
There  was  nothing  weak  about  her.  You  felt  that  she 
would  make  a  good  fight  to  the  end,  and  never  go 
astray  in  paths  of  meanness,  deceit,  or  petty  pride. 

Then  they  had  to  tell  what  had  happened  to  them. 
She  had  all  the  rejoicing  over  Joe,  without  any  of  the 
pain  and  anguish.  For,  now  that  he  was  here,  she 
could  not  imagine  the  bitter  tears  which  had  been  the 
portion  of  the  household. 

How  gay  they  were !  There  was  no  china  on  the 
table,  no  silver  forks,  no  cut-glass  goblets ;  but  the 
dinner  was  none  the  less  enjoyable.  There  never  were 
such  roasted  chickens,  nor  such  cranberry  sauce,  noi 
such  celery !  And  certainly  never  such  glad  and  lov- 
ing hearts.  The  sorrows  and  successes  drew  them  the 
more  closely  together. 

What  if  Granny  had  lei  them  stray  off  years  ago, 
to  forget  and  grow  cold!  Ah!  she  had  her  reward 
now.  Every  year  after  this  it  would  pour  in  a  golden 
harvest. 

"We  will  have  our  dessert  in  style,"  said  Hal. 


328  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"Kit,  please  help  take  off  the  dishes,  for  I  know  Dot 
must  be  tired." 

"  I  will  too,"  responded  Charlie  promptly. 

They  gathered  up  the  fragments,  and  carried  them 
in  the  pantry,  took  away  the  dishes,  brushed  off  the 
cloth,  and  then  came  the  crowning  glories.  First,  two 
beautiful  bouquets,  with  a  setting  of  crisp,  fragrant 
geranium  leaves ;  then  a  dish  of  apples,  rosy-cheeked 
and  tempting. 

"  It  is  fortunate  that  I  made  a  good  large  pie,"  said 
Dot  with  much  complacency. 

Hal  bundled  Granny  in  a  shawl ;  but,  before  he 
could  help  her  out  of  bed,  Joe's  strong  arms  had  borne 
her  to  the  kitchen.  Hal  brought  the  rocking-chair, 
and  they  made  her  comfortable  with  pillows. 

They  all,  I  think,  saw  a  strange  beauty  in  her  on  this 
Christmas  Day.  The  little  silvery  curls,  —  they  always 
would  curl ;  the  pale,  wrinkled  face ;  the  faded  eyes, 
with  their  youth  and  glory  a  thing  of  the  past ;  the 
feeble,  cracked  voice  ;  the  trembling  hands,  —  all  beau- 
tiful in  their  sight.  For  the  hands  had  toiled,  the 
voice  had  comforted,  the  lips  had  kissed  away  pains 
and  griefs.  Every  furrow  in  the  face  was  sacred. 
What  watching  and  anxiety  and  unfaltering  labor  they 
bespoke ! 

Dot  poured  her  a  cup  of  tea :  then  she  proceeded  to 
cut  the  pie. 

"  Dot,  you  are  a  royal  cook ! "  exclaimed  Joe.  "  We 
have  discovered  your  special  genius." 


IN  THE  OLD  HOME-ZEST  AGAIN.  329 

It  was  very  delightful.  Granny  had  a  little  slice, 
and  added  her  praises  to  the  rest  so  lavishly  bestowed. 

"  There  never  was  but  one  such  Christmas.  If  I 
were  a  boy,  I  should  pronounce  it  '  red-hot,'  "  laughed 
Joe.  "  I'm  almost  sorry  to  outgrow  the  boyish  tricks 
and  slang." 

"  And  you  can't  cool  it,"  appended  Kit,  with  a  mel- 
ancholy shake  of  the  head. 

"  If  there  was  one  face  more,"  began  Granny  slowly. 

Yes,  just  one  was  needed  to  complete  the  group. 

The  sun  stole  softly  out  of  the  window.  The  happy 
day  was  drawing  to  a  close.  Would  life,  too,  draw  to 
a  close  without  her? 

"  Hark !  "  exclaimed  Dot. 

For  the  merry  jingle  of  sleigh-bells  ceased  suddenly. 
Was  it  some  unwelcome  guest  to  break  in  upon  the 
sanctity  of  their  twilight  hour? 

A  knock  at  the  door.  Charlie,  being  the  nearest, 
opened  it.  A  lady  dressed  in  deep  mourning,  and  a 
tall,  fine-looking  gentleman.  She  certainly  had  never 
seen  either  of  them  before. 

The  veil  was  raised.  Oh,  that  face,  with  all  its  fair- 
ness and  beauty ;  the  golden  hair,  the  lustrous  eyes ! 
They  all  knew  then. 

"  O  Granny,  Granny ! "  and  Florence  was  kneeling 
at  her  grandmother's  feet,  kissing  the  wasted  hands, 
her  sad,  pathetic  voice  broken  with  sobs.  "  I  had  to 
come :  I  couldn't  stay  away.  I've  been  selfish  and  un 


330  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

grateful,  and  God  has  punished  me  sorely.  And,  when 
I  turned  to  him  in  my  sorrow,  he  brought  before  me 
all  my  neglect,  my  pride,  my  cruelty.  O  Granny !  can 
it  be  forgiven?" 

"  There's  nothing  to  forgive,  child." 

She  kissed  the  sweet,  wet  face.  At  that  moment 
she  forgot  every  thing  save  that  this  darling  had  come 
back. 

"  Yes,  there  is  so  much,  so  much  !  You  don't  know. 
For,  after  I  was  married,  I  might  have  come.  Edmund 
was  tender  and  noble.  This  is  my  husband,  Mr.  Da- 
rol." 

She  rose  as  she  uttered  this,  and  made  a  gesture 
with  her  outstretched  hand.  Mr.  Darol  bowed. 

"  This  is  my  clear  grandmother  Edmund ;  and  these 
are  my  brothers  and  sisters.  It  is  so  long  since  I  have 
seen  any  of  you,  that  you  seem  strangers  to  me." 

There  was  a  peculiar  silence  in  the  room. 

"  Oh  !  "  with  a  low,  imploring  cry,  —  "  have  you  no 
welcome  for  me?  Have  I  forfeited  all  regard,  all 
remembrance  ?  " 

Hal  came  round  to  her  side ;  but  she  was  so  stately 
and  beautiful,  that  he  felt  almost  awed. 

"It  is  Hal,  I  know.  OhJ  take  me  back  in  your 
midst :  for  only  yesterday  I  buried  my  little  baby ; 
and  I  know  nov  the  sense  of  loss  that  I  entailed  upon 
you." 

They  all  crowded  round  her  then.     Not  one  had  for- 


n»   THE  OLD  HOME-NEST  AGAIN.  331 

gotten  darling  Flossy.  Kisses  and  fond  clasps.  They 
were  so  glad  to  take  her  into  their  circle. 

"  This  is  Joe,"  she  said,  "  and  Kit,  and  Dot.  O 
Charlie !  to  see  you  all  once  more !  and  to  have  you 
all  alive !  For  I  have  been  haunted  with  a  terrible 
fear  lest  some  of  you  might  have  fallen  out  of  the  old 
home-chain.  Not  a  break,  thank  God ! " 

Then  she  brought  them  to  her  husband.  Oh,  how 
wild  she  had  been  when  she  fancied  that  she  might  be 
ashamed  of  them !  —  this  group  of  brave,  loving  faces, 
full  of  the  essential  elements  of  nobility. 

Ah,  Florence,  if  you  had  known  all  their  deeds  of 
simple  heroism ! 

Charlie  helped  her  take  off  her  wrappings.  She  had 
not  changed  greatly,  except  to  grow  older  and  more 
womanly. 

"  Granny  has  been  ill ! "  she  exclaimed  in  quick 
alarm. 

"  Yes,  nearly  all  winter.  But  she  is  better  now. 
O  Floss}-,  I  am  so  glad  you  came  to-day ! "  and 
Hal's  soft  eyes  swam  in  tears. 

"  It  was  Christmas.  I  could  not  help  thinking  of 
the  dear  old  Christmas  when  we  were  all  together. 
O  Hal!  if  you  could  know  all  my  shame  and 
sorrow!" 

"  Joe,"  said  Granny  feebly,  "  will  yon  take  me  back 
to  bed?  I'm  tired  again.  I'm  a  poor  old  body  at  the 
best.  Then  you  can  come  and  sit  round  me.' 


332  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Shall  I  send  the  driver  away?"  asked  Mr.  Darol 
of  Florence. 

"Yes:  I  can't  leave  them  to-night.  You  will  not 
mind?"— 

She  glanced  around  as  she  uttered  this,  as  if  apolo- 
gizing for  the  poor  accommodations. 

"  No,  I  shall  not  mind,"  in  a  grave  tone. 

Granny  was  carried  to  bed  again.  Hal  shook  up 
the  pillow,  and  straightened  the  spreads.  Joe  laid  her 
in  tenderly, .saying,  as  he  kissed  her,  — 

' '  You  have  us  all  home  again  in  the  old  shoe !  " 

The  room  was  neat  and  orderly ;  poor,  to  be  sure, 
but  with  a  cheerful  air.  Hal  brought  in  the  flowers, 
and  Kit  some  chairs,  and  they  made  quite  a  party. 

"  But  think  of  the  dishes !  "  whispered  housewifely 
Dot.  "  And  not  a  clean  one  for  morning,  we've  used 
so  many.  But,  oh !  wasn't  it  elegant?  And  Florence 
is  a  real  lady ! " 

"  We  had  better  slip  out,  and  look  after  our  house- 
hold gods,"  Hal  murmured  in  return. 

Before  they  were  fairly  in  the  business,  Charlie 
joined  them. 

"  Let  me  help  too,"  she  said.  "  I  don't  hate  to 
wash  dishes  quite  as  much  as  I  used ;  and  I  am  so 
h  ippy  to-night  that  I  could  do  almost  any  thing  ! " 

They  were  a  practical  exemplification  of  the  old 
adage.  Many  hands  did  make  light  work.  In  a  little 
while  they  had  their  house  in  order. 


IN  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST  AGAIN.  333 

"But  what  a  family!"  exclaimed  Dot.  "Where 
are  we  to  put  them  all? " 

"  I've  been  thinking.  Florence  and  her  husband 
can  have  my  room,  and  we  will  make  a  bed  for  Kit 
and  Joe  in  the  flower-room.  They  won't  mind  it,  I 
guess." 

"  Dot  can  sleep  with  Granny,  and  I  can  curl  up  in 
any  corner  for  to-night,"  said  Charlie. 

"Hal  never  had  a  wink  of  sleep  last  night.  We 
talked  and  sang  Christmas  hymns,  and  Granny  thought 
that  she  would  not  live." 

Charlie  gave  a  sad  sigh. 

"  You  are  angels,  both  of  you,"  she  answered.  "And 
tfhen  Mr.  Darol  comes,  —  oh!  isn't  it  funny  that 
Florence's  husband  should  have  the  same  name?  I 
wonder  "  — 

Charlie  was  off  into  a  brown  study. 

"Oh!"  she  exclaimed,  "isn't  it  odd?  Florence's 
name  is  Darol,  and  there  is  my  Mr.  Darol.  Why,  I 
do  believe  they  look  something  alike,  —  Flossie's  hus- 
band, I  mean." 

To  which  rather  incoherent  statement  no  one  was 
able  to  reply. 

"  Perhaps  we  had  better  put  my  room  in  order," 
suggested  Hal,  returning  to  the  prose  of  housekeeping. 

Dot  found  some  clean  sheets  and  pillow-cases. 
Charlie  followed  them,  and  assisted  a  little.  The  bed 
was  freshly  made,  a  clean  napkin  spread  over  the  worn 


33-i  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

washstand,  towels  as  white  as  snow,  and  every  thing 
neat,  if  not  elegant. 

"Though,  of  course,  it  will  look  very  common  to 
Flossy,"  said  Dot  with  a  sigh.  "  I  feel  almost  afraid 
of  her,  she  is  so  grand." 

"  But  she  isn't  a  bit  better  than  we  are,"  returned 
Charlie  stoutly.  "  I  think  Hal  is  really  the  noblest  of 
the  lot,  and  the  most  unfortunate.  But  I  told  Mr 
Darol  all  about  the  green-house,  Hal !  " 

Hal  colored.  Charlie  was  a  warm  and  courageous 
champion. 

Then  they  went  down  stairs.  Florence  still  sat  at 
the  head  of  Granny's  bed,  and  had  been  crying.  Hal 
remembered  his  hard  thoughts  of  Flossy  the  night 
before  with  a  pang  of  regret ;  for,  though  they  had 
been  poor  and  burdened  with  cares,  death  had  not 
come  nigh  them,  but  had  taken  Florence's  first-born  in 
the  midst  of  her  wealth  and  ease. 

Charlie  went  round  to  them.  "  Florence,"  she 
began  a  little  timidly,  "  do  you  live  in  New  York?  " 

"Yes." 

"  I've  been  there  since  the  last  of  August." 

"  You? "  returned  Florence  in  surprise.  "  What  are 
you  doing  ?  " 

"  Studying  at  the  School  of  Design." 

"  Why,  Charlie  !  how  could  you  get  there?" 

"  It  was  very  strange.  I  almost  wonder  now  if  it 
really  did  happen  to  me.  You  see,  I  worked  in  the 


IN  THE  OLD  HOME-NEST  AbAfN.  335 

mill,  and  saved  up  some  money ;  and  then  I  went  to 
New  York.  You  remember  Mrs.  Wilcox,  don't  you? 
I've  been  boarding  there.  And,  while  I  was  trying  to 
find  out  what  I  must  do,  I  met  a  Mr.  Paul  Darol,  who 
is  a  perfect  prince  "  — 

"  O  Florence!  we  have  heard  all  this  story,"  inter- 
rupted Mr.  Darol.  "It  is  the  little  girl  for  whom 
Uncle  Paul  sold  the  designs.  She  wanted  some  money 
to  take  home,  you  know.  He  never  mentioned  the 
name." 

"  Then  he  is  your  uncle,"  said  Charlie,  quite  over- 
whelmed at  her  success. 

"•  Yes ;  and  you  are  &  crave  g^i,  a  genius  too. 
Florence,  I'm  proud  enough  of  this  little  sister.  Why 
didn't  Uncle  Paul  think.  —  but  you  don't  look  a  bit 
alike." 

And  this  was  Charlie !  Here  were  the  brothers  and 
sisters  of  whom  she  had  felt  secretly  ashamed !  Joe, 
the  dear,  noble  fellow ;  Hal,  tender  and  devoted ; 
heroic  Charlie ;  ambitious  Kit ;  and  fond  little  Dot. 
Oh !  instead,  she  was  the  one  for  whom  they  needed  to 
blush,  —  her  own  selfish,  unworthy  soul,  that  had  stood 
aloof  the  past  year,  when  she  might  have  come  to  their 
assistance.  How  it  humbled  her !  She  even  shrank 
away  from  her  husband's  eyes. 

"  I  think  Granny  is  growing  weary,"  Hal  said 
presently,  glancing  at  the  pallid  cheek.  "  She  has  had 
a  great  deal  of  excitement  to-day ;  and  now,  if  you 


336  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

will  come  up  stairs  and  look  at  my  flowers,  we  can  let 
her  have  a  little  rest." 

The}*  all  agreed  to  the  proposal. 

So  Hal  gave  her  a  composing  draught ;  and,  though 
Joe  was  fain  to  stay,  Granny  sent  him  away  with  the 
others.  They  had  all  been  so  good,  that  she,  surely, 
must  not  be  selfish ;  and,  truth  to  tell,  a  little  quiet 
would  not  come  amiss. 

For,  happy  dream !  she  had  lived  to  see  them  all 
come  back.  What  more  could  she  ask?  That  she 
might  recover  her  health,  and  feast  on  their  smiles  and 
joyousness ;  and  she  prayed  humbly  to  God  that  it 
might  be  so,  in  bis  great  mercy. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

WHEREIN  THE   OLD   SHOE   BECOMES   CROWDED. 

rpHEY  trooped  np  the  narrow  stairs.  Why,  the  old 
-*-  loom-room  looked  like  a  palace  !  Hal  had  made 
some  very  pretty  brackets  out  of  pine,  and  stained 
them ;  and  they  were  ranged  round  the  wall,  upholding 
a,  jX)t  of  flowers  or  trailing  vines,  and  two  or  three  little 
•Master  casts.  Here  were  some  bookshelves,  the  table 
surmounted  by  a  very  passable  writing-desk,  Hal's 
construction  also.  But  the  flowers  were  a  marvel. 

"  Hal's  dream  was  a  green-house,"  exclaimed  Flor- 
ence. "  But  I  don't  see  how  you  found  time  for  it 
all"  — 

"  It  has  been  profit  as  well  as  pleasure,"  said  Hal 
with  a  little  pride.  "  Last  winter  I  sold  a  quantity  of 
flowers,  and,  in  the  spring,  bedding-plants  and  garden 
vegetables." 

"  Oh ! "  returned  Florence,  choking  back  the  sobs, 
"  do  you  remember  one  summer  day,  long,  long  ago, 
when  we  all  told  over  what  we  would  like  to  have  hap- 
pen to  us?  And  it  has  all  come  about." 

'*  Even  to  my  fiddle,"  said  Kit. 


338  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Aud  my  running  away,"  appended  Charlie  with 
great  satisfaction. 

Hal  brought  in  some  chairs. 

"  We're  going  to  sit  in  the  corner  on  the  floor,"  said 
Charlie  ;  and  the  three  younger  ones  ranged  themselves 
in  a  small  group. 

Florence  and  her  husband  walked  round  to  view  the 
flowers,  guided  by  Joe. 

"  You  appear  to  have  wonderful  success,"  remarked 
Mr.  Darol.  "  These  tuberoses  are  very  fine." 

"They  were  frosted  about  ten  days  ago,  and  have 
hardly  recovered.  That  is,  I  lost  most  of  my  blos- 
soms." 

"  Oh,  what  a  pity ! " 

"  And  all  our  Christmas  monej',"  said  Dot  softly. 

"  No  matter,"  returned  Charlie.  "  You  can  have 
all  of  mine.  I  meant  every  penny  of  it  for  Granny." 

"  And  now  I  want  to  hear  what  you  have  been 
doing  all  these  years.  I  know  it  was  my  own  act  that 
shut  me  out  of  your  joys  and  sorrows  ;  but  if  you  will 
take  me  back"  —  and  the  voice  was  choked  with  tears. 

Hal  pressed  the  soft  hand. 

"You  will  find  Edmund  a  brother  to  you  all,"  she 
went  on.  "It  is  ni3T  shame,  that  after  my  marriage, 
knowing  that  I  could  come  any  time,  I  hesitated  to 
take  the  step." 

"It  is  a  poor  old  house,"  exclaimed  Hal  trem- 
ulously. 


THE  OLD  SHOE  BECOMES  CROWDED.          839 

"But  holds  more  love  and  heroism  than  many 
grander  mansions,"  Mr.  Darol  said  in  his  deep, 
manly  tone.  "Florence  is  right :  I  should  like  to  be  a 
brother  to  you  all.  I  honored  Charlie  before  I  fancied 
that  I  should  ever  have  a  dearer  claim." 

"And  I've  been  a  sort  of  black  sheep,"  returned 
Charlie  frankly.  "  Hal  and  Joe  are  the  heroes  in  this 
family." 

"  It  is  so  wonderful  to  have  Joe  safe  ! " 
"And  to  think  how  sad  we  were  last  night,"  Dot 
began.     "  We  did   not  expect  any  one   to  help  us 
keep  Christmas  but  Kit." 

"O  Dot!  tell  me  all  about  it,"  said  Charlie 
eagerly.  "  I  do  like  to  hear  it  so.  And  how  Joe 
came  home." 

Dot  was  a  little  shy  at  first ;  but  presently  she  com- 
menced at  Hal's  losing  the  school,  Granny's  sickness, 
Joe's  shipwreck,  the  trouble  and  sorrow  that  followed  in 
succession,  the  misfortune  of  the  flowers,  and  then  she 
came  to  the  night  when  Granny  wanted  to  die  and  go 
to  heaven.     Only  last  night ;  but  oh,  how  far  off  it  ap 
peared !     She  told  it  very  simply,  but  with  such  un 
conscious   pathos   that    they   were   all   crying   softly 
Florence  leaned  her  head  on  her  husband's  shoulder, 
hiding  her  face. 

••  And  I  never  knew  a  word  of  it !"  exclaimed  Char- 
lie with  the  quiver  of  tears  in  her  voice.  "  I  didn't 
want  to  tell  you  about  my  going,  for  fear  you'd  worry 


340  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

over  me,  or,  if  I  should  be  disappointed,  you  would  feel 
it  all  the  more  keenly.  But  I  never  thought  any  thing 
sad  could  happen  to  you." 

"  I  should  like  to  hear  the  first  part  of  Charlie's  ad- 
ventures," said  Mr.  Darol.  "  How  did  she  come  to 
know  that  she  had  a  genius  ?  " 

"  She  used  to  be  punished  enough  in  school  for 
drawing  comical  faces,"  answered  Joe.  "  Little  did 
Mr.  Fielder  think  that  you  would  make  an  artist !  " 

"  But  I  planned  then  to  run  away  and  live  in  the 
woods.  I  believe  I  once  took  you  off,  Kit." 

"  Yes  ;  and  we  were  threatened  with  the  jail,  weren't 
me,  because  we  made  a  fire.  But  how  you  did  talk, 
Charlie !  You  were  always  splendid  on  the  fighting 
side." 

"I  was  made  to  go  right  straight  ahead,"  said 
Charlie.  "  And,  if  I  had  been  afraid,  I  should  never 
have  done  any  thing." 

"And  we  want  to  hear  how  you  did  it,"  pursued 
Mr.  Darol. 

So  Charlie  related  her  trials  and  perplexities,  her 
fruitless  journeys,  and  her  vain  endeavors,  until  she  met 
Mr.  Paul  Darol,  who  seemed  to  understand  just  what 
she  wanted. 

"  I  don't  see  how  you  had  the  courage,"  Florence 
remarked.  "And  if  I'd  only  known  you  were  there, 
Charlie ! " 

Charlie  shrugged  her  shoulders.     Now  that  the  fight 


THE  OLD  SHOE  BECOMES  CROWDED.          341 

had  been  made,  and  terminated  successfully,  she  waa 
rather  glad  to  have  gone  into  it  single-handed :  not 
from  any  vanity,  but  a  kind  of  sturd}'  independence 
that  had  always  characterized  Charlie  Kenneth. 

And  then  they  rambled  farther  back,  to  the  time  of 
Hal's  sad  accident.  Perhaps  the  most  truly  noble  thing 
about  them  was  their  fearlessness  and  honesty.  They 
were  not  ashamed  of  the  poverty  and  struggle :  there 
was  no  petty  deceit  or  small  shams  to  cover  the  truth. 

Ah,  what  heroic  lives  they  had  all  been,  in  a  simple 
way  !  For  it  is  not  only  in  great  matters  that  men  and 
women  must  fight :  it  is  the  truth  and  endurance  and 
perseverance  which  they  bring  into  every-day  events 
that  moulds  character.  Not  a  poor,  false,  or  useless 
soul  among  them,  unless  it  was  hers,  Florence  thought. 

Hal  stole  down  a  time  or  two  to  see  Granny,  who 
had  fallen  into  a  peaceful  sleep.  And  presently  the 
old  clock  struck  ten.  Dot  and  Kit  were  nodding. 

"  I  am  going  to  put  you  in  our  old  room,"  Hal  said 
to  Florence.  "  It  is  the  best  I  can  do.** 

"  No :  let  me  sit  up  and  watch  with  Granny." 

"  That  is  not  at  all  necessary.  Last  night  she  was 
nervous.  I  fancy  she  was  haunted  by  a  dim  impres- 
sion of  impending  change,  and  thought  it  must  mean 
death.  Instead,  it  was  the  dearest  of  joys." 

"  O  Hal !  I  don't  feel  worthy  to  come  among  you. 
Not  simply  because  I  chose  to  go  away,  to  have  luxury 
and  ease  and  idleness,  while  you  were  in  want  and 


342  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

sorrow ;  for  in  those  old  days  I  thought  only  of  my- 
self. But,  a  few  months  after  I  was  married,  Mrs. 
Osgood  died,  and  I  was  quite  free  to  choose.  Don't 
shrink  away  from  me  Hal,  though  the  cowardice  has 
in  it  so  much  of  vile  ingratitude.  I  had  not  the  cour- 
age to  be  true  to  my  secret  longings.  She  had  filled 
my  weak  soul  with  her  beliefs ;  and  I  persuaded  my- 
self that  my  debt  to  her  was  greater  than  that  to  my 
own  kindred." 

"O  Florence,  hu&a!  let  it  all  go,  since  you  have 
come  back,"  pleaded  unselfish  Hal. 

"  And  then  my  precious  baby  came.  Hardly  four 
months  ago.  He  had  your  tender  e}res,  Hal ;  and  they 
used  to  reproach  me  daily.  But  I  made  a  hundred 
excuses  and  delays.  And  then  God  took  him,  to  let 
me  feel  what  a  wrench  the  soul  endures  when  its  cher- 
ished ones  are  removed.  All  these  years  I  have  been 
like  one  dead  to  you,  without  the  sweet  comfort  of 
those  who  know  their  treasures  are  safe  in  heaven. 
When  we  came  back  from  his  grave  yesterday,  I  told 
Edmund  my  deeper  shame  and  anguish,  my  disloyalty 
to  those  who  had  the  first  claim.  And  if  any  of  you 
had  been  dead,  if  I  could  never  have  won  Granny's  for- 
giveness, ah,  how  heavy  my  burden  would  have 
proved ! " 

"But  we  all  consented  to  your  going,"  Hal  said, 
longing  to  comfort  her. 

;*  Because  you  knew  how  weak  and  foolish  I  was, 


THE  OLD  SHOE  BECOMES  CROWDED.          343 

with  my  sinfully  ambitious  longings.  And  oh,  if  my 
husband  had  been  less  noble !  " 

"  You  shall  not  so  blame  yourself  on  this  blessed 
Christmas  night.  Is  there  not  to  be  peace  on  earth, 
and  tenderness  and  good  will  for  all?  And  it  seems  as 
If  you  never  could  have  come  back  at  a  more  precious 
moment," 

Hal,  foolish  boy,  cried  a  little  in  her  arms.  It  was 
so  sweet  to  have  her  here. 

After  a  while  the  children  were  all  disposed  of. 
Hal  apologized  to  Joe  for  the  rather  dose  and  fragrant 
quarters. 

"  Don't  worry,  old  comrade.  When  you've  slept  on 
a  whale's  backbone,  or  a  couple  of  inches  of  tarred 
rope,  you  take  any  thing  cheerfully,  from  a  hammock 
to  a  bed  of  eider  down." 

Kit  cuddled  in  his  arms.  Dear  old  Joe  was  the  best 
and  bravest  of  heroes  to  him. 

Hal  threw  himself  on  the  lounge,  covered  with 
shawls  and  overcoats,  for  the  bed-clothes  were  insuffi- 
cient to  go  around.  He  laughed  softly  to  himself. 
Such  a  houseful  as  this  the  "Old  Shoe"  had  never 
known  before.  What  was  poverty  and  trouble  now? 
A  kind  of  ghostly  phantom,  that  vanished  when  one 
came  near  it.  Why,  he  had  never  felt  so  rich  in  all 
his  life! 

Granny  was  none  the  worse  the  next  morning  for 
her  excitement.  Dot  bathed  her  face,  combed  out  the 


344  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

tiny  silver  curls,  and  put  on  a  fresh  wrapper.  Charlie 
helped  get  breakfast,  though  she  was  not  as  deft- 
handed  as  Dot.  The  two  tables  were  set  again  ;  and, 
when  they  brought  Granny  out,  she  was  more  than 
proud  of  her  family. 

That  seemed  to  be  a  gala-day  for  all  Madison. 
When  the  news  was  once  started,  it  spread  like  wild- 
fire. Joe  Kenneth  wasn't  drowned  after  all,  but  had 
come  back  safe,  a  great,  tall,  handsome  fellow.  Flor- 
ence had  returned  with  her  fine-looking  husband  ;  and 
wild,  queer  Charlie  had  actually  been  transformed  into 
the  family  beauty. 

"There  never  was  a  finer  set  of  children  in  Madi- 
son," said  Mr.  Terry,  clearing  his  voice  of  a  little 
huskiness.  "  And  to  think  they're  Joe  Kenneth's  poor 
orphans  !  I  tell  you  what !  Granny  Kenneth  has  been 
one  woman  out  of  a  thousand.  Didn't  everybody  say 
she  had  better  let  the  youngsters  go  to  the  poorhouse. 
And  now  they're  a  credit  to  the  town.  Think  of  Joe 
being  praised  in  the  papers  as  he  was  !  That  went  to 
my  heart,  —  his  giving  up  a  chance  for  life  to  some  one 
else.  He's  a  brave  fellow,  and  handsome  as  a  picture. 
There  isn't  a  girl  but  would  jump  at  the  chance  of 
marrying  him.  He  will  be  a  captain  before  he  is  five 
years  older,  mark  my  words." 

Dr.  Meade  was  brimful  of  joy  also.  He  kissed 
Charlie,  and  laughed  at  her  for  running  away,  and  was 
much  astonished  to  find  how  fortunate  she  had  been 
But  Joe  was  everybody's  idol. 


THE  OLD  SHOE  BECOMES  CROWDED.         345 

"I  think  some  of  you  ought  to  be  spared,"  ex- 
elaimed  the  good  doctor.  "I  don't  see  where  you 
were  all  stowed  last  night.  I  have  two  or  three 
rooms  at  your  service ;  and,  indeed,  am  quite  willing  to 
iake  you  all  in.  But,  anyhow,  Kit  and  Joe  might  come 
for  lodgings." 

*•  We  put  them  in  the  flower-room,"  said  Charlie, 

"  Which  accounts  for  their  blooming  appearance,  I 
suppose ; "  and  the  doctor  pinched  Charlie's  ear. 

Between  themselves,  they  had  endless  talks.  It 
iPEmiffi  as  if  all  the  stories  would  never  get  told.  And, 
strangely  enough,  they  came  to  pity  poor  Flossy,  who, 
among  them  all.  had  the  only  lasting  sorrow. 

Charlie  took  to  Mr.  Darol  at  once ;  and  before  the 
day  ended  they  were  all  fast  friends. 

"  I  think  yours  is  a  most  remarkable  family,"  he 
said  to  Florence.  "  There  is  not  one  of  the  children 
but  what  yon  might  be  proud  of  anywhere." 

"  I  am  so  glad  yon  can  lore  them ! "  and  the  grateful 
tears  were  in  her  eyes. 

"  And,  when  we  return  home,  it  seems  as  if  we 
ought  to  take  Chailie.  There  she  will  have  just  the 
position  she  needs." 

"  O  Edmund !  I  don't  deserve  that  you  should  be  so 
good  to  me.  I  was  longing  to  ask  it.  But  I  have 
been  so  weak  and  foolish ! " 

'*  My  darling,  that  is  past.  I  will  say  now,  that  my 
only  misgiving  about  yon  has  been  the  apparent  for 


346  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

getfulness  of  old  family  ties.  But  I  knew  you  were 
young  when  you  left  your  home,  and  that  Mrs.  Osgood 
insisted  upon  this  course ;  besides,  I  never  could  tell 
how  worthy  they  were  of  fond  remembrance." 

"  And  did  not  dream  that  I  could  be  so  basely  un- 
grateful ! "  she  answered  in  deepest  shame.  "  I  abhor 
myself:  I  have  forfeited  your  respect." 

"Hush,  dear!  Let  it  all  be  buried  in  our  child's 
grave.  Perhaps  his  death  was  the  one  needful  lesson. 
And  now  that  we  have  found  them  all,  we  must  try  to 
make  amends." 

Florence  sobbed  her  deep  regret,  nestling  closely  to 
his  heart. 

"  Your  brother  Hal  interests  me  so  much !  It  seems 
thai  he  will  always  feel  the  result  of  his  accident  in 
some  degree,  on  account  of  a  strained  tendon.  He 
has  such  a  passionate  love  for  flowers,  and  the  utmost 
skill  in  their  care  and  culture.  But  he  ought  to  have 
a  wider  field  for  operations." 

"  Oh ! "  she  said,  "if  we  could  help  him.  Charlie 
has  worked  her  waj^  so  energetically,  that  she  only 
needs  counsel  and  guidance.  Kit  and  Dot  are  still  so 
/oimg ! " 

"I  don't  wonder  Uncle  Paul  was  attracted.  There 
s  something  very  bright  and  winsome  about  Charlie. 
I  had  to  laugh  at  her  naive  confession  of  being  a  black 
jheep." 

"  She  used  to  be  so  boyish  and  boisterous  !  not  half 
as  gentle  as  dear  Hal." 


THE  OLD  SHOE  BECOMES  CROWDED.          347 

'•  But  it  seems  to  be  toned  down  to  a  very  becoming 
piquancy ;  "  and  he  smiled. 

"  How  very  odd  that  she  should  have  met  your 
uncle  !  "  Florence  said  musingly.  '*  How  surprised  he 
will  be!" 

Dr.  Meade  came  over  again  that  evening,  and 
insisted  upon  the  boys  accepting  his  hospitality ;  so 
Joe  and  Kit  were  packed  into  the  sleigh,  and  treated 
sumptuously. 

Granny  continued  to  improve,  and  could  sit  up  for 
quite  a  while.  She  enjoyed  having  them  all  around 
her  so  much !  It  was  like  the  old  time,  when  the  gay 
voices  made  the  house  glad. 

And  so  the  days  passed,  busy,  and  absolutely  merry. 

Charlie  and  Florence  helped  cook,  and  Joe  insisted 
upon  showing  how  he  could  wash  dishes.  On  Sun- 
day they  all  went  to  church  except  Dot,  —  Granny 
would  have  it  so. 

On  Monday  Mr.  Darol  came.  Charlie  had  given 
aim  very  explicit  directions,  but  she  was  hardly  ex- 
pecting him  so  soon.  Sitting  by  the  window  she  saw 
him  coming  down  the  street  in  a  thoughtful  manner,  as 
f  he  were  noting  the  landmarks. 

"  O  Mr.  Darol ! "  and  she  sprang  to  the  door,  nearly 
yverturning  Dot. 

"  Yes :  you  see  I  have  been  as  good  as  my  word. 
How  bright  you  look !  So  there  was  nothing  amiss  aj 
home?" 


348  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  Indeed  there  was  !  but,  in  spite  of  it,  we  have  all 
been  so  happy !  For  everybody  came  home  at  Christ- 
mas, even  Joe,  whom  they  thought  drowned.  This  is 
my  little  sister  Dot.  And  oh,  this  is  my  brother  Hal !  " 

Mr.  Darol  clasped  the  hand  of  one,  and  gave  the 
other  a  friendly  pat  on  the  soft  golden  hair. 

"  I  dare  say  Charlie  has  told  you  all  about  me  :  if 
she  has  not  she  is  a  naughty  girl.  Why  "  — 

For  in  the  adjoining  room  sat  Florence,  close  to 
Granny's  chair.  No  wonder  he  was  amazed. 

"  That's  Florence,  and  you've  seen  her  before. 
And  Mr.  Edmund  Darol  is  here,"  went  on  Charlie  in  a 
graciously  explanatory  manner. 

"  They  are  my  brothers  and  sisters,"  said  Florence 
With  a  scarlet  flush. 

He  looked  at  her  in  deep  perplexity. 

"  Mrs.  Osgood  adopted  Florence,"  Charlie  inter 
posed  again.  "  It  was  all  her  fault ;  for  she  would  not, 
allow  the  relation  to  be  kept  up,  and  "  — 

"  This  is  your  grandmother?"  he  interrupted  almost 
sharply,  feeling  unconsciously  bitter  against  Florence. 

"  This  is  dear  Granny." 

He  took  the  wrinkled  hand,  not  much  larger  than 
a  child's,  for  all  it  had  labored  so  long  and  faithfully. 

"Mrs.  Kenneth,"  he  said,  "  I  am  proud  to  make 
your  acquaintance.  One  such  child  as  Charlie  would 
be  glory  enough." 

Charlie  fairly  danced  with  delight  to  see  Granny  so 


TMB  OLD  SHOE  BECOMES  CROWDED.         $49 

honored  in  her  old  days.  And  as  for  the  poor  woman, 
she  was  prouder  than  a  queen. 

'•  You've  been  so  good  to  her!"  she  murmured  trem- 
ulously, nodding  her  head  at  Charlie. 

"  She  is  a  brave  girl,  even  if  she  did  run  away.  I 
have  used  my  best  efforts  to  make  her  sorry  for  it." 

"Bat  oh!  Mr.  Darol,  the  work  was  all  undone  as 
soon  as  I  came  home.  For  when  I  found  them  sick, 
and  full  of  trouble,  it  seemed  so  good  to  be  able  to 
take  care  of  myself,  that  I  think  running  away  the 
most  fortunate  step  of  my  whole  life." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  we  shall  never  bring  yon  to  a 
proper  state  of  penitence ; "  and  he  laughed. 

"  Ton  were  so  good  to  her ! "  said  Granny  again,  as 
if  she  had  nothing  but  gratitude  in  her  soul. 

"It  was  a  great  pleasure  to  me.  But  I  never 
dreamed  that  I  had  made  the  acquaintance  of  one  of 
your  family  before." 

"  He  win  never  like  me  so  well  again,"  thought 
Florence;  "but  that  is  part  of  my  punishment.  I 
have  been  full  of  pride  and  cowardice." 

Mr.  Darol  made  himself  at  home  in  a  very  few 
moments,  for  he  was  interested  beyond  measure. 

"  It  it  a  poor  place,"  ruminated  Charlie,  glancing 
round ;  "  but  we  cannot  help  it,  Fm  sure.  All  of  us 
have  done  our  best." 

Then  she  dismissed  the  subject  with  her  usual  happy 
faculty,  and  became  wonderfully  entertaining;  so 


350  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

much  so,  indeed,  that,  when  Mr.  Darol  glanced  at  hia 
watch,  he  said, — 

"  In  about  half  an  hour  my  train  goes  down  to  the 
city.  I  have  not  said  half  that  I  wanted  to.  I  have 
not  seen  your  brother  Joe,  nor  the  hot-house ;  and 
what  am  I  to  do  ?  " 

"  Stay,"  replied  Charlie ;  and  then  she  colored 
vividly.  "  Our  house  is  so  small  that  it  will  not  hold 
any  more  ;  but  Dr.  Meade  has  already  taken  in  Kit  and 
Joe,  and  he  is  just  splendid  ! " 

Mr.  Darol  laughed. 

"  Are  there  any  hotel  accommodations?" 

"  Oh,  yes  !  at  the  station." 

"  Then  I  think  I  win  remain  ;  for  my  visit  isn't  half 
finished,  and  I  am  not  satisfied  to  end  it  here." 

Charlie  was  delighted. 

After  that  they  went  up  to  the  flower-room.  It 
seemed  to  improve  every  day,  and  was  quite  a  nest  of 
sweets. 

*'  So  Miss  Charlie  hasn't  all  the  family  genius," 
said  Mr.  Darol.  "  It  is  not  every  one  who  can  make 
flowers  grow  under  difficulties." 

"  They  were  nipped  a  little  about  the  middle  of  the 
month.  One  night  my  fire  went  out." 

"  And  it  blighted  the  flowers  he  meant  to  cut  in  a  few 
days,"  explained  Charlie,  "  so  that  at  first  there  did 
not  seem  a  prospect  of  a  very  merry  Christmas." 

And  Charlie  slipped  her  hand  within  Mr.  Darol's, 


THE  OLD  SHOE  BECOMES  CROWDED.          351 

continuing,  in  a  whisper,  "  I  can  never  tell  you  ho* 
glad  I  was  to  have  the  money.  It  was  like  the  good 
fortune  in  a  fairy  story." 

He  looked  at  the  beaming,  blushing  face  with  its 
dewy  eyes.  Ah !  he  little  guessed,  the  day  he  first  in- 
spected Charlie  Kenneth's  drawings,  that  all  this  pleas- 
ure was  to  arise  from  a  deed  of  almost  Quixotic  kind- 
ness. 

Yet  he  wondered  more  than  ever  how  she  had  dared 
to  undertake  such  a  quest.  Strangely  courageous, 
earnest,  and  simple-hearted,  with  the  faith  of  a  child, 
and  the  underlying  strength  of  a  woman,  —  it  seemed 
as  if  there  might  be  a  brilliant  and  successful  future 
before  her. 

And  this  delicate  brother  with  a  shadow  in  his  eyes 
like  the  drifts  floating  over  an  April  sky,  —  he,  too, 
needed  a  friend  to  give  him  a  helping  hand.  Who 
could  do  it  better  than  he,  whose  dearest  ones  were 
Bleeping  in  quiet,  fax-off  graves? 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

BOW  THE   DREAMS   CAME   TRUE. 

/CHARLIE  insisted  upon  Mr.  Darol  remaining  to 
^-^  supper ;  and  he  was  nothing  loth. 

"Dear  me!"  exclaimed  Dot,  "we  shall  have  to 
echo  the  crow's  suggestive  query,  — 

'  The  old  one  said  unto  his  mate, 

"  What  shall  we  do  for  food  to  ate  ?"  '  " 

44  Make  some  biscuit  or  a  Johnny-cake,"  said  Char- 
lie, fertile  in  expedients.  "  Dot,  I've  just  discovered 
the  bent  of  your  budding  mind." 

"What?"  asked  the  child,  tying  on  a  large  apron. 

"  Keeping  a  hotel.  Why,  it's  been  elegant  for  almost 
a  week  !  —  a  perfect  crowd,  and  not  a  silver  fork  or  a 
goblet,  or  a  bit  of  china ;  rag-carpet  on  the  floor, 
and  a  bed  in  the  best  room.  Nothing  but  happiness 
inside  and  out !  Even  the  ravens  haven't  cried  You 
see,  it  isn't  money,  but  a  contented  mind,  a  kitchen 
apron,  a  saucepan,  and  a  genius  for  cooking." 

"  But  you  must  have  something  to  cook,"  tvas  Dot's 
sage  comment. 

"  True,  my  dear.  Words  of  priceless  wisdom  fall 
362 


HOW  THE  DREAMS  CAME  TEUE,  35» 

your  yoong  fips.  —  diamonds  and  pearls  actu- 
ally! Now,  if  you  wffl  tdl  me  what  to  pot  in  a 
cake"  — 


"  I  am  afraid  to  trust  TOOT  unsMHu!  hands;  so  yon 
mar  wait  upon  me.  Open  the  draught,  and  stir  the 
fire  :  then  yon  mar  bring  me  the  soda  and  the  soar 
milk,  and  beat  the  eggs—  oh,  there  in  the  basket!  - 
"'•Dot,  mj  small  darling,  spare  me!  I  am  in  a 
nfoaon.  Your  brain  most  be  Ml  of  shehes 
boxes  where  ererj  article  is  labelled.  One 


"The  fire  first,  then." 

Dot  sifted  her  floor,  and  went  to  wort    Charfiesang 
a  drofl  little  song  for  her,  and  then  set  the  table, 


in,  and  was  delighted  to  see  his  ancle.  There  was  hero 
Joe,  gaj  as  a  sky-fall  of  lads.  It  didn't  seem  as  if 
any  of  them  had  ever  known  trouble  or  sorrow.  Even 
Granny  gare  her  old  chirruping  laugh. 

Tne  next  day  they  had  son^serioos  talks.    Hal  and 
Mr.  Darol  dipped  into  a  pleasant  confidence, 


"  Fve  been  «h™HiMr  over  yoor  aflairs  with  a  good 
deal  of  interest,"  he  said.  "  It  seems  to  me  that  yon 
need  a  larger  field  for  profitable  operations.  I  should 
not  think  Madison  ooite  the  place  for  a  brilliant  suc- 
cess. You  need  to  be  in  the  Ticinity  of  a  large  ciry. 
And,  since  three  of  the  others  will  be  in  New  York 


o54  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

principally,  it  certainty  would  be  better  for  you. 
Would  your  grandmother  object  to  moving  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  Hal  answered  thoughtfully. 

"  Floriculture  is  becoming  an  excellent  business. 
Since  you  have  such  a  decided  taste  for  it,  you  can 
hardly  fail.  I  should  recommend  Brooklyn,  Jersey 
City,  or  Harlem.  Besides  the  flowers,  there  is  a  great 
demand  for  bedding-plants.  You  haven't  any  other 
fancy  ?  "  and  he  studied  Hal's  face  intently. 

Hal's  lip  quivered  a  moment.  "  It  was  my  first 
dream,  and  I  guess  the  best  thing  that  I  can  do.  I 
could  not  endure  hard  study,  or  any  thing  like  that. 
Yes,  I  have  decided  it." 

"  I  wish  you  would  make  me  a  visit  very  soon,  and 
we  could  look  around,  and  consider  what  step  would  be 
best.  You  must  forgive  me  for  taking  a  fatherly  in- 
terest in  you  all.  I  love  young  people  so  much ! " 

Hal's  eyes  sparkled  with  delight.  He  did  not  won- 
der that  Charlie  had  told  her  story  so  fearlessly  to 
him. 

u  You  are  most  kind.  I  don't  know  how  to  thank 
you." 

"  You  can  do  that  when  you  are  successful ; "  and  he 
laughed  cordially. 

They  had  all  taken  Flossy's  husband  into  favor,  and 
their  regard  was  fully  returned  by  him.  Indeed,  they 
appeared  to  him  a  most  marvellous  little  flock.  As  for 
Florence,  the  awe  and  strangeness  with  which  she  had 


HOW  THE  DREAMS  CAME  TRUE.  355 

first  impressed  them  was  fast  wearing  off.  As  her 
better  soul  came  to  light,  she  seemed  to  grow  nearer  to 
them,  as  if  the  years  of  absence  were  being  bridged 
over.  Fastidious  she  would  always  be  in  some  re- 
spects, bat  never  weakly  foolish  sgain.  She  had  come 
to  understand  a  few  of  the  nobler  troths  of  life, 
learned  through  suffering,.  —  that  there  was  a  higher 
enjoyment  than  that  of  the  senses,  or  the  mere  out- 
ward uses  of  beauty. 

They  all  appreciated  the  manner  in  which  she  made 
herself  at  home.  They  gave  her  the  best  they  had,  to 
be  sure ;  and  she  never  pained  them  by  any  thoughtless 
allusion  to  her  luxuries.  She  had  not  lost  her  old  art 
with  the  needle,  and  Dot's  dresses  were  renovated  in 
such  a  manner  that  she  hardly  knew  them. 

Granny  would  never  allow  her  to  regret  her  going 
with  Mrs.  Osgood. 

"  It  was  all  right,"  she  would  say  cheerfully.  "  The 
good  Lord  knew  what  was  best.  I  don't  mind  any  of 
it  now,  — the  losses  and  crosses,  the  sorrows  and  sick- 
nesses, and  all  the  hard  work.  Your  poor  father 
would  be  glad  if  he  could  see  you,  and  I've  kept  my 
promise  to  him.  So  don't  cry,  dearie.  If  you  hadn't 
gone  away,  I  shouldn't  'a*  known  how  sweet  it  was  to 
have  you  come  back." 

Florence  and  Mr.  Darol  made  their  preparations  to 
return.  They  decided  to  take  Charlie  back  with  them, 
and  install  her  in  her  new  home ;  though  Charlie  did 


356  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

not  exactly  like  the  prospect  of  having  her  visit 
abridged. 

"  I  meant  to  stay  all  this  week,"  she  said  decisively. 
"  I  cannot  have  another  vacation  until  next  summer." 

"  But  you  will  go  back  with  me  to  my  sad  house, 
and  help  me  to  forget  my  baby's  dead  face,"  Florence 
returned  beseeching^.  "O  Charlie!  I  do  mean  to 
be  a  true  and  fond  sister  to  you  if  you  will  let  me." 

So  Charlie  consented  ;  though  she  would  much  rather 
have  staid,  and  had  a  "  good  time  "  with  Dot  and  Hal. 

"  If  Florence  was  not  here,  I  should  like  to  perch 
myself  on  a  chair-back,  and  whistle  '  Hail  Columbia '  to 
all  the  world.  Dear  old  shoe !  What  sights  of  fun 
we  have  had  in  it !  I.  am  rather  sorry  that  I'll  soon  be 
a  woman.  Oh,  dear!  You  always  do  have  some 
trouble,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  Charlie,  Charlie  ! "  and  Dot  shook  her  small  fore- 
finger. 

Joe  was  going  too.  "  But  I  shall  be  back  in  a  few 
days,"  he  said  to  Granny. 

"O  Joe!  if  3'ou  wouldn't  go  to  sea  any  more, — 
and  when  you've  been  a'most  drowned  "  — 

"  O  Granny !  best  mother  in  the  world,  do  not  feel 
troubled  about  me.  We  are  a  family  of  geniuses,  and 
I  am  the  duckling  that  can't  stay  brooded  under 
mother- wings.  It's  my  one  love,  and  I  should  be  a 
miserable  fish  if  you  kept  me  on  dry  land.  I  have 
been  offered  a  nice  position  to  go  to  Charleston ;  and 


HOW  THE  DREAMS  CAME  TRUE.  357 

as  I  am  not  rich,  and  have  not  the  gout,  I  can't  afford 
to  retire  on  a  crust.  But  you'll  see  me  every  little 
while  ;  and  you'll  be  proud  enough  of  me  when  I  get  to 
be  a  captain." 

Granny  felt  that  she  could  not  be  any  prouder  of 
him  if  he  was  a  king. 

There  was  a  great  thinning-out  again.  Kit  be- 
moaned the  lonesomeness  of  the  place;  but  Dofs 
housewifely  soul  was  comforted  with  the  hope  of  a 
good  clearing-up  time. 

In  two  days  Joe  returned. 

"  Florence  is  as  elegant  as  a  queen,"  he  reported ; 
"  not  the  grandest  or  richest,  but  every  thing  in  lovely 
style.  Charlie  went  wild  over  the  pictures.  And 
there  are  great  mirrors,  and  marble  statues,  and  car- 
pets as  soft  as  spring-hillsides.  You  never  imagined, 
Granny,  that  one  of  us  would  attain  to  such  magnifi- 
cence, did  you?" 

Granny  listened  in  wide-eyed  wonder,  and  bobbed 
her  little  curls. 

"And  Darol's  a  splendid  fellow!  Flossy  always 
did  have  the  luck!" 

That  night  Hal  and  Joe  slept  in  the  old  room,  which 
Joe  declared  seemed  good.  , 

"  We  had  a  long  talk  about  you,  Hal.  Mr.  Paul 
Darol  is  wonderfully  interested  in  you.  He  is  just  as 
good  and  generous  as  he  can  be,  and  has  two  beautiful 
rooms  at  a  hotel.  You  know,  in  the  old  dream,  it  was 


358  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

Flossj'  who  was  to  meet  with  a  benevolent  old  gentle- 
man :  instead,  it  has  been  Charlie,  the  queer  little 
midget.  What  a  youngster  she  has  been !  " 

"  She  is  as  good  as  gold." 

"  Mr.  Darol  thinks  her  the  eighth  wonder  of  the 
world.  But  he  wants  you  to  have  the  green-house ; 
and  I  said  I  intended  to  help  you  to  it.  When  he 
found  that  we  did  not  mean  to  take  any  thing  as  a 
gift,  he  offered  to  loan  the  whole  amount,  to  be  paid 
as  you  were  prospered." 

"  How  very,  very  generous  !  "  said  Hal  with  a  long 
breath. 

"  It  was  most  kind ;  but  you  cannot  do  much  here. 
I  believe  I  like  the  Brooklyn  project  best." 

* '  I  wonder  if  Granny  would  consent  to  leave  Madi- 
son?" 

"  I  think  she  will.  You  see,  I  can  spend  a  good 
deal  of  time  with  you  then." 

Joe  was  to  start  again  the  middle  of  January. 
Granny  fretted  at  first ;  but  dear,  merry  Joe  finally 
persuaded  her  that  it  was  the  best  thing  in  the  world. 

Hal  could  not  help  shedding  a  few  quiet  tears,  but 
then  they  had  a  glowing  letter  from  Charlie.  She  and 
Florence  had  actually  been  to  call  on  Mrs.  Wilcox  in 
their  own  carriage.  They  had  taken  her  and  Mary 
Jane  a  pretty  gift ;  and  Mrs.  Wilcox  was,  to  use  her 
own  expression,  "  clear  beat."  And  Charlie  declared 
that  she  was  living  like  a  princess.  She  could  come 
home,  and  spend  almost  any  Sunday  with  them. 


HOW  THE  DREAMS  CAME  TRUE.  359 

While  Hal  was  considering  how  best  to  inform 
Granny  of  the  new  project,  circumstances  opened  the 
way.  In  the  march  of  improvement  at  Madison,  an 
old  lane  was  to  be  widened,  and  straightened  into  a 
respectable  street ;  and  one  end  of  it  would  run  through 
the  old  Kenneth  cottage. 

Poor  old  Shoe !  Its  days  were  numbered.  But 
there  were  no  more  rollicking  children  to  tumble  in  and 
out  of  windows,  or  transform  the  dusty  garret  into  a 
bedlamic  palace.  And  yet  Granny  could  not  be  con- 
soled, or  even  persuaded. 

"  I  never  could  take  root  anywhere  else,  Hal,  dear," 
she  said,  shaking  her  head  sadly. 

"  But  the  old  house  has  been  patched  and  patched ; 
it  leaks  everywhere  ;  and  a  good,  strong  gust  of  wind 
might  blow  it  over.  We  should  not  want  to  be  in  the 
ruins,  I'm  sure.  Then,  Granny,  think  of  being  so  near 
all  the  children ! " 

Granny  was  very  grave  for  several  days ;  but  one 
evening  she  said  with  a  tremor  in  her  voice,  — 

"  Hal  dear,  I  am  a  poor  old  body,  and  I  shall  never 
be  worth  any  thing  again.  I  don't  know  as  it  makes 
much  difference,  after  all,  if  you  will  only  promise  to 
bring  me  back,  and  lay  me  alongside  of  my  dear  Joe." 

Hal  promised  with  a  tender  kiss. 

Dr.  Meade  used  to  bundle  Granny  up  in  shawls,  and 
take  her  out  in  his  old-fashioned  gig  ;  and,  by  the  time 
Joe  came  back,  he  declared  she  was  a  good  deal  better 


860  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

than  new,  and  the  dearest  grandmother  in  the  world. 
I  think  she  was,  myself,  even  if  she  was  little  and  old 
and  wrinkled,  and  had  a  cracked  voice. 

They  formed  a  great  conspiracy  against  her,  and 
took  her  to  New  York.  She  never  could  see  how  they 
did  it ;  and  Joe  insisted  that  it  was  "  sleight-of-hand," 
he  having  learned  magic  in  China.  It  was  very  odd 
and  laughable  to  see  her  going  round  Florence's  pretty 
home,  leaning  on  Dot's  shoulder,  and  listening,  like  a 
child,  to  the  descriptions  of  the  pictures  and  bronzes, 
and  confusing  the  names  of  different  things.  But  Dot 
declared  that  it  was  right  next  door  to  heaven ;  and,  for 
sweet  content,  it  might  have  been.  Charlie  almost 
went  wild. 

It  seemed,  indeed,  as  if  Florence  could  never  do 
enough  to  make  amends  for  her  past  neglect.  Edmund 
Darol  treated  Granny  with  the  utmost  respect  and  ten- 
derness. He  never  tired  of  hearing  of  their  youthful 
frolics  and  fun ;  but  Charlie's  running  away  seemed 
the  drollest  of  all. 

Mr.  Paul  Darol,  or  Uncle  Paul  as  he  had  insisted 
upon  being  to  all  the  children,  took  Hal  under  his  es- 
pecial protection.  They  visited  green-houses,  talked 
with  florists,  read  books,  and  began  to  consider  them- 
selves quite  wise.  Then  they  looked  around  for  some 
suitable  places.  At  Jersey  City  they  found  the  nu- 
cleus of  a  hot-house,  and  a  very  fair  prospect ;  but,  or 
the  outskirts  of  Brooklyn,  they  found  a  pretty  cottage 


HOW  THE  DREAMS   CAME  TRUE.  361 

and  some  vacant  lots,  that  appeared  quite  as  desira- 
ble. 

"  Indeed,  the  neighborhood  is  much  better,"  said 
Mr.  Darol.  "  Green-houses  could  soon  be  put  up,  and 
by  fall  you  might  be  started  in  business.  I  think  the 
sooner  the  better." 

Hal's  brown  eyes  opened  wide  in  astonishment. 

"  Yes,"  continued  Mr.  Darol,  with  an  amused  ex- 
pression, "  Joe  and  I  have  quite  settled  matters.  He 
allows  me  carte  blanche  for  every  thing ;  and,  being 
arbitrary,  I  like  to  have  my  own  way.  When  you 
decide  upon  a  location,  I  will  take  care  that  it  shall 
be  placed  within  your  power." 

"  You  are  so  good !  but  I  couldn't,  I  wouldn't 
dare" —  And  somehow  Hal  could  not  keep  the  tears 
out  of  his  eyes. 

"  I  think  this  Brooklyn  place  the  most  desirable.  It 
is  on  a  horse-car  route,  and  near  enough  to  Greenwood 
to  attract  purchasers  thither.  I'll  buy  the  place,  and 
turn  it  ever  to  you  with  a  twenty-years'  mortgage,  if 
you  like  You  see,  I  am  not  giving  you  any  thing  but 
a  chanc«  to  do  for  yourself." 

Hal  and  Joe  talked  it  over  that  evening. 

' '  How  good  everybody  is  to  us !"  said  Hal.  « '  There 
was  Mrs.  Howard,  when  I  was  so  ill,  and  the  Kinseys, 
while  they  were  in  Madison,  and  Dr.  Meade,  and" — 

"  Mrs.  Van  Wyck,  who  snubbed  Flossy,  and  prophe- 
sied that  I  should  come  to  the  gallows.  Hal,  dear  old 

31 


862  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

chap,  we  have  had  ups  and  downs,  and  been  poor  as 
church-mice ;  but  it  is  all  coming  around  just  right. 
And  I'd  take  the  place :  I  know  you  will  succeed." 

4 '  But  eight  thousand  dollars  ;  and  the  green-houses, 
and  the  plants  afterward  "  — 

"  Why,  I'd  be  responsible  for  the  place  myself.  The 
property  would  be  worth  a  fortune  in  twenty  years  or 
so.  And,  with  Mr.  Darol  to  hold  it,  there  wouldn't  be 
the  slightest  risk." 

"  But  if  I  should  not  live  "  — 

"Nonsense!  I'll  come  in  and  administer.  I'll  be 
thinking  about  your  epitaph.  Mine  is  already  stored 
away  for  use :  — 

•  From  which  it  is  believed, 
The  unfortunate  bereaved 
Went  to  sea,  and  was  promiscuously  drownded.' 

"  Now,  isn't  that  pathetic  ? " 

"  O  Joe !  you  are  too  bad ! " 

"  It's  a  sign  of  long  life,  my  dear.  I  have  had  to 
be  worse  than  usual,  to  balance  your  account." 

Everybody  said  Hal  must  have  the  place.  Mr. 
Darol  actually  purchased  it,  and  took  Dot  over  to  see 
the  cottage.  It  was  not  very  large,  but  sufficiently 
roomy  for  them,  and  had  only  been  tenanted  for  a 
year ;  a  pretty  parlor  and  sitting-room,  with  a  nice 
largo  kitchen,  and  abundance  of  closets.  The  cham 
bers  up  stairs  were  very  pleasant,  and  commanded  a 
beautiful  view. 


HOW   THE  DREAMS  CAME  TRUE.  363 

"Will  it  do  for  you,  O  morsel  of  womankind?" 
asked  Mr.  Darol.  "  I  propose  to  buy  you  a  dog,  and 
call  you  Mother  Hubbard." 

Dot  laughed,  and  blushed,  and  expressed  her  satis- 
faction. 

Then  Hal  declared  they  must  return  to  Madison, 
and  he  \vould  consider  what  could  be  done. 

"  You  can  count  on  me  for  three  hundred  a  year," 
said  Joe  with  his  good-by. 

They  wanted  Granny  to  remain  with  Florence,  but 
she  would  not :  so  they  returned  together. 

Oh,  poor  little  cottage!  The  chimney  over  the 
"best  room"  had  blown  down  in  a  March  gale,  and 
the  roof  leaked  worse  than  ever.  The  street  was  sur- 
veyed, and  staked  out ;  and,  oddest  of  all,  Mr.  Howard 
had  received  a  call  to  Brooklyn. 

*'  I  suppose  we  must  go,"  said  Granny.  "  Dot 
needs  a  pretty  home,  and  this  isn't "  — 

"  The  palaces  have  spoiled  us,"  said  Dot.  "  Think 
of  having  hot  and  cold  water  in  your  kitchen  without 
a  bit  of  fuss ;  and  a  bath-room,  and  the  work  so  easy 
that  it  is  just  like  playing  at  housekeeping.  Why, 
Granny,  you  and  I  would  have  the  nicest  time  in  the 
world ! " 

Mrs.  Meade  had  cared  for  the  flowers  while  Hal  was 
away,  though  they  missed  his  loving  hand.  But  he 
decided  that  it  would  be  best  to  sell  them  all  out,  and 
dispose  of  the  place  as  soon  as  he  could.  The  town- 


364  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

ship  offered  him  three  hundred  dollars  for  the  ground 
they  needed ;  and  presently  Hal  found  a  purchaser  for 
the  remainder,  at  twelve  hundred  dollars.  By  the 
time  of  Joe's  next  return  Hal  was  ready  to  take  a 
fresh  start. 

One  thousand  was  paid  down ;  and  Joe  promised 
three  hundred  of  the  interest  every  year,  and  as  much 
more  as  he  could  do.  Mr.  Darol  was  to  superintend 
the  erection  of  the  green-house,  —  two  long  rows, 
joined  by  a  little  square  at  the  end,  a  kind  of  work- 
room, which  could  be  opened  or  closed  at  pleasure. 
They  were  built  on  the  back  part  of  the  two  lots,  and 
the  space  in  front  was  to  remain  a  summer-garden. 
The  street  had  a  lovely  southern  exposure,  while  a 
great  elm-tree  shaded  the  house. 

They  all  came  back  to  the  Old  Shoe  for  a  farewell 
visit.  It  was  June,  and  they  had  supper  out  of  doors  ; 
for,  somehow,  half  the  neighborhood  had  invited  itself. 
Everybody  was  sorry  to  lose  Hal  and  Granny;  and 
everybody  thought  it  wonderful  that  the  Kenneths  had 
prospered,  and  had  such  luck. 

Then  Florence  took  Granny  and  Dot  to  a  pretty  sea- 
side resort,  where  Charlie  was  to  join  them.  Kit  and 
Hal  were  to  pack  up  whatever  household  treasures 
were  worth  saving,  and  afterward  domesticate  them- 
selves with  their  brother-in-law. 

Good-by,  Old  Shoe  !  Tumble  down  at  your  will. 
There  is  no  more  laughing  or  crying  or  scolding  or 


HOW  THE  DREAMS  CAME  TRUE.  365 

planning  for  yoa  to  hear,  —  no  tender  children's  voices 
singing  Sunday-evening  hymns  in  the  dusk,  no  little 
folded  hands  saying  reverent  prayers.  O  old  house, 
brown  and  rusty  and  dilapidated !  there  has  been  much 
joy  under  your  roof;  many  prayers  answered,  many 
sorrows,  and  some  bitter  tears,  that  God's  hand  wiped 
away.  Every  crumbling  board  has  some  tender  mem- 
ories. And,  as  Hal  and  Kit  sit  on  the  old  stone  step 
for  the  last  time,  their  hands  are  clasped  tightly,  their 
eyes  are  full  of  tears,  and  neither  can  trust  his  voice 
to  speak. 

Good-by !  The  birds  said  it,  the  wandering  winds 
said  it,  the  waving  grasses,  and  the  rustling  trees. 
You  have  had  your  day,  old  house,  and  the  night  baa 
come  for  you. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

CHRISTMASTIDE. 

"TZTAL  watched  the  hot-houses  with  strange  delight. 
-*— *-  They  seemed  to  him  on  a  most  magnificent 
scale.  The  boiler  was  put  in,  the  pipes  laid,  the  force- 
pump  and  coal-bins  arranged ;  then  the  stands  of 
steps,  rising  higher,  the  wide  ledge  by  the  window  for 
small  plants  and  slips,  lattices  for  vines,  hooks  for 
hanging-baskets,  and  every  thing  in  complete  order. 

When  Charlie  rejoined  Granny,  Florence  came  back 
for  a  brief  stay.  She  and  Edmund  went  over  to  the 
cottage,  and  measured  and  consulted ;  and  the  result 
was,  that  one  morning  it  looked  wonderfully  as  if  some 
one  was  moving  in.  Hal  ran  to  inform  them  of  their 
mistake. 

The  carpet-men  said  they  had  their  orders,  and 
wouldn't  budge  an  inch.  Down  went  carpets  and  oil- 
cloths. Such  a  hammering,  and  knocking-about,  and 
unrolling  !  Kit  stood  it  as  long  as  he  could  :  then  he 
went  out  of  doors,  perched  himself  on  a  pile  of  stone, 
and  played  on  his  beloved  fiddle. 

The  next  day  there  was  another  raid.     This  time  it 

366 


CHRISTMASTIDE.  367 

was  furniture.  Florence  and  Edmund  soon  made 
their  appearance. 

"  Oh!  "exclaimed  Hal. 

"  It  is  to  be  our  gift,"  began  Edmund.  "  Florence 
wished  it  so  much !  She  feels  that  she  took  her  pleas- 
ure when  you  were  all  toiling  and  suffering,  and  is 
better  satisfied  to  make  some  amends.  Besides,  we 
have  an  interest  in  Dot  and  grandmother." 

"  And  I  am  only  going  to  put  in  the  principal 
things,"  explained  Florence.  "There  are  so  many 
that  you  will  prefer  to  select  yourselves." 

The  parlor  and  library,  or  sitting-room,  were  carpeted 
alike.  The  furniture  was  in  green,  with  here  and 
there  a  bright  article  to  relieve  it ;  a  pretty  book-case 
and  writing-table,  a  console  for  Dot* s  small  traps,  easy- 
chairs  in  abundance,  and  every  thing  as  pretty  as  it 
could  be.  The  dining-room  and  kitchen  were  plain, 
but  homelike,  with  an  old-fashioned  Boston  rocker  for 
Granny.  But  the  three  sleeping-rooms  up  stairs  were 
perfect  little  gems,  —  Hal's  in  black- walnut,  Granny's 
in  quaint  chestnut,  and  Dot's  in  pale  green  with  a 
pretty  green  and  white  carpet  to  match. 

'  •  Why,  I  shall  want  them  to  come  home  right  away ! " 
exclaimed  Hal.  "  O  Flossy ! " 

"  Dear,  brave  Hal !  God  has  been  good  to  us  all. 
Only  love  me  a  little  in  return." 

The  last  of  August,  Hal's  household  returned.  He 
and  Kit  had  provided  for  them  a  gorgeous  supper,  with 


368  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME, 

the  best  china,  and  a  bouquet  at  each  plate.  Granny 
could  hardly  believe  her  eyes  or  her  senses.  Dot  and 
Charlie  ran  wild,  and  made  themselves  exclamation 
points  in  every  doorway. 

"Oh!    Oh!    Oh!" 

"  And  the  surprise !  " 

"  And  so  beautiful !  " 

"  That  I  should  ever  live  to  see  it ! "  said  Granny. 

They  explored  every  nook  and  comer  and  closet. 

"I  like  it  so  much,"  said  old-fashioned  little  Dot, 
"  because  it  isn't  too  grand.  For,  after  all,  we  are  not 
rich.  And  it  was  so  thoughtful  of  Florence  to  choose 
what  was  simply  pretty  instead  of  magnificent !  " 

"  Look  at  the  goblets,"  said  Charlie  with  a  solemn 
shake  of  the  head.  "  Dot,  if  any  nice  old  gentleman 
comes  along,  be  sure  to  give  him  a  drink  out  of  them, 
and  put  this  K  round  where  he  can  see  it." 

"  The  whole  eighteen,  I  suppose,  one  after  another," 
returned  Dot  drolly. 

"  I  shall  paint  you  some  pictures,"  Charlie  began 
presently ;  "  and,  Dot,  when  I  get  to  earning  money  in 
good  earnest,  I'll  buy  a  piano.  I  used  to  think  I  did 
not  care  much  about  it,  and  I  never  could  learn ;  but 
sometimes,  when  Florence  sits  and  plays  like  an  angel, 
I  can't  help  crying  softly  to  myself,  though  you 
wouldn't  believe  I  was  snch  a  goose.  And,  if  you 
learn  to  play,  it  will  be  a  great  comfort  to  Hal." 

"  Yes,"  said  Dot,  crying  out  of  pure  sympathy. 


CHRISTMASTIDE.  369 

They  commenced  housekeeping  at  once.  Charlie 
was  to  remain  with  theoi  until  the  term  commenced. 

"  Isn't  it  a  delight  to  have  such  splendid  things  to 
work  with?  "  exclaimed  Dot.  "  Why,  Granny,  don't 
you  believe  we  have  been  spirited  away  to  some  en- 
chanted castle?" 

Granny  laughed,  and  surely  thought  they  had. 

Hal,  meanwhile,  was  stocking  his  green-houses. 
Loads  of  sand  and  loam  had  to  be  brought ;  piles  of 
compost  and  rubble  standing  convenient ;  and  the  two 
boys  worked  like  Trojans.  And  then  the  journeys  to 
florists,  that  seemed  to  Hal  like  traversing  realms  of 
poesy  and  fragrance.  Great  geraniums  that  one  could 
cut  into  slips,  roses,  heliotrope,  heaths,  violets,  carna- 
tions, fuchsias;  indeed,  an  endless  mass  of  them. 
Hal's  heart  was  in  his  throat  half  the  time  with  a 
suffocating  sense  of  beauty. 

It  was  such  a  pleasure  to  arrange  them!  He  used  to 
handle  them  as  if  they  were  the  tenderest  of  babies. 
Watering  and  ventilation  on  so  large  a  scale  was  quite 
new  to  him ;  and  he  went  at  his  business  with  a  little 
fear  and  trembling,  and  devoted  every  spare  moment 
to  study. 

Mr.  Darol  had  paid  the  bills  as  they  had  been  pre- 
sented. One  day  Hal  asked  to  see  them.  The  request 
was  evaded  for  a  while ;  but  one  evening,  when  he  was 
dining  with  Mr.  Darol,  he  insisted  upon  it. 

"Very  well," returned  Mr.  Darol  smilingly.    "Her* 


370  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

they  are :  look  them  over  and  be  satisfied.  Very  mod- 
erate,  I  think." 

The  hot-house  had  cost  thirteen  hundred  dollars ; 
soil,  and  various  incidentals,  one  hundred  more ;  flow- 
ers, three  hundred. 

"  Seventeen  hundred  dollars,"  said  Hal  in  a  grave 
and  rather  tremulous  tone.  "  And  seven  thousand  on 
the  house." 

"  The  mortgage  is  to  remain  any  number  of  years, 
you  know.  Joe  has  arranged  to  pay  part  of  the  in- 
terest. And  the  conditions  of  these"  —  gathering 
them  up,  and  turning  toward  Hal,  who  was  leaning 
against  the  mantle,  rather  stupefied  at  such  overwhelm- 
ing indebtedness. 

"  Well?"  he  said  with  a  gasp  that  made  his  voice 
quiver. 

"  This,"  and  Mr.  Darol  laughed  genially.  Hal  saw 
a  blaze  in  the  grate,  and  stood  speechless. 

"It  is  my  gift  to  you.  Not  a  very  large  business 
capital,  to  be  sure ;  but  you  can  add  to  it  from  time  to 
time." 

"  O  Mr.  Darol !  " 

"  My  dear  Hal,  if  you  knew  the  pleasure  it  has  been 
to  me !  I  don't  know  why  I  have  taken  such  a  fancy 
to  you  all,  unless  it  is  for  the  sake  of  the  children  I 
might  have  had ;  but  that  is  an  old  dream,  and  the 
woman  who  might  have  been  their  mother  is  in  her 
grave.  You  deserve  all  this,  and  more." 


CHRISTMASTIDE.  371 

The  tears  stood  in  Hal's  eyes,  and  he  could  not 
trust  his  voice.  How  dark  every  thing  had  looked 
only  a  little  year  ago !  Could  he  ever  be  thankful 
enough?  And  that  it  should  all  come  through  uuch  a 
ridiculous  thing  as  Charlie's  running  away ! 

"  I  ain  confident  that  you  will  prosper.  And  I  ex- 
pect you  all  to  like  me  hugelj-,  in  return.  When  I 
take  Dot  and  Charlie  to  operas,  I  shall  look  to  you  to 
provide  the  flowers." 

"  A  very  small  return,"  said  Hal. 

But  he  went  home  as  if  he  had  been  a  tuft  of  thistle- 
down on  a  summer-breeze.  Ferry-boat  and  horse-car 
were  absolutely  glorified.  And  when  he  reached  the 
little  cottage  with  lights  in  every  window,  and  the  dear 
ones  awaiting  him,  he  could  only  clasp  his  arms  around 
them,  and  kiss  them.  But  they  knew  the  next  morn- 
ing what  had  flushed  his  face,  and  made  his  eyes  so 
lustrous. 

"  Ah,  I  told  you  he  was  a  prince !  "  declared  Char 
lie  in  triumph. 

And  then  Hal's  work  commenced  in  earnest.  Every 
morning  he  spent  in  his  green-house,  and  began  experi- 
ments of  propagating,  that  were  so  interesting  to  him. 
Kit  assisted,  and  Dot  ran  in  every  hour  or  two,  to  see 
how  they  prospered. 

Kit  had  come  across  a  German  musician,  hardly  a 
square  off,  who  was  giving  him  lessons,  and  who  used 
to  wax  very  enthusiastic  over  him.  There  had  been 


372  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

quite  a  discussion  as  to  what  should  be  done  with 
him. 

"  Why,  he  must  go  to  school,"  declared  brother 
Edmund.  "  He's  a  mere  child  yet ;  but  he  has  a  won- 
derful talent  for  music,  it  must  be  admitted." 

"  He  might  become  an  organist,  "  said  Florence. 
"  That  gives  a  man  a  position."  Somehow  she  did 
not  take  cordially  to  the  violin. 

Kit  consented  to  go  to  school. 

"But  to  give  up  my  dear,  darling  old  fiddle!  It's 
mean,  when  the  rest  of  you  have  had  just  what  you 
wanted,  —  been  adopted,  and  gone  to  sea,  and  had 
green-houses,  and  all  that !  "  said  Kit,  half-crying, 
and  jumbling  his  sentences  all  together. 

**  You  shall  keep  the  fiddle,"  said  Granny.  "  I  like 
it." 

Florence  also  proposed  that  Granny  should  have  a 
servant.  At  this  Granny  was  dismayed. 

"  A  servant!  Why,  do  you  suppose  I  am  going  to 
set  up  for  a  queen,  because  Hal  has  his  beautiful  hot- 
house, —  an  old  woman  like  me?" 

"  But  Dot  ought  to  go  to  school,  and  then  it  would 
be  too  much  for  you." 

"  I  am  going  to  study  at  home,"  returned  Dot  with 
much  spirit.  "  I  haven't  any  genius  :  so  I  shall  keep 
house,  and  help  Hal  with  his  flowers.  And  the  work 
isn't  any  thing.  A  woman  comes  in  to  do  the  washing 
and  ironing." 


CHRTSTMASTIDE.  373 

*'  And  Hal  is  hand}'  as  a  girl.  No:  Fd  rather  stay 
as  we  are,"  Granny  said,  with  more  determination  than 
she  had  shown  in  her  whole  life. 

Florence  had  to  leave  them  "  as  they  were."  The 
simple,  homely  duties  of  every-day  life  were  not  dis- 
tasteful to  them.  If  Granny  could  not  have  been  use- 
ful, the  charm  would  have  gone  out  of  life  for  her. 

Joe  was  delighted  with  every  thing,  and  told  Gran- 
ny that  if  he  wasn't  so  tall  he  should  surely  stand  on 
his  head,  out  of  pure  joy.  He  was  to  make  his  head- 
quarters with  them  when  he  was  at  home. 

Miss  Charteris  had  been  added  to  their  circle  of 
friends,  and  enjoyed  the  quaint  household  exceedingly. 
Hal  was  an  especial  favorite  with  her,  and  she  took  a 
warm  interest  in  his  flowers. 

In  October,  Hal  began  to  have  a  little  business. 
Baskets  and  stands  were  sent  in  to  be  arranged  for 
winter ;  and  now  and  then  some  one  strayed  in,  and 
bought  a  pot  of  something  in  bloom.  He  began  to 
feel  quite  like  a  business-man.  His  five  hundred  dol- 
lars had  served  to  defray  incidental  expenses,  and  put 
in  coal  and  provisions  for  the  winter,  leaving  a  little 
margin.  If  he  could  get  his  sales  up  to  regular  ex- 
penses, he  thought  he  should  be  content  for  the 
present. 

He  took  a  trip  to  Madison  one  day.  The  cottage 
was  nothing  but  a  heap  of  crumbling  boards.  Had 
they  ever  lived  there,  and  been  so  happy  ? 

32 


374  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

"  It'll  never  be  the  same  place  again,"  said  Granny, 
listening  to  the  summer's  improvements.  "  I  am  glad 
we  came  away.  I  couldn't  have  seen  the  old  house 
torn  down.  Maybe  it's  the  flowers  here,  and  the  chil- 
dren, that  makes  it  seem  like  home  to  me  ;  but  most  of 
all  I  think  it  must  be  you,  dear  Hal.  And  so  I'm 
satisfied,  as  the  good  Lord  knows." 

Her  caps  were  a  trifle  more  pretentious,  and  her 
gowns  more  in  modern  style  ;  but  she  was  Granny  still, 
and  not  one  of  them  would  have  had  her  changed. 
When  she  sat  in  her  rocking-chair,  with  her  hands 
crossed  in  her  lap,  Hal  thought  her  the  prettiest  thing 
in  the  house. 

"  Hooray ! "  exclaimed  Kit,  rushing  home  one  even- 
ing out  of  breath,  and  covered  with  snow.  "  What  do 
you  think  ?  Granny,  you  could  never  guess  ! " 

"I  never  was  good  at  guessing,"  returned  Granny 
meekly. 

"Something  wonderful!  Oh,  anew  fiddle!"  said 
Dot. 

"No:  and  Hal  won't  try.  Well"  —  with  a  long 
breath —  "  I'm  going —  to  play  —  at  a  concert !  " 

"  Oh ! "  the  three  exclaimed  in  a  breath. 

"  And  it's  the  oddest  thing,"  began  Kit,  full  of  ex- 
citement. "  You  see,  there's  to  be  a  concert  given  in 
New  York,  to  help  raise  funds  to  give  the  newsboys, 
and  other  homeless  children,  a  great  Christmas  dinner. 
Mr.  Kriessnian  has  it  in  hand  ;  and,  because  it's  for 
boys,  he  wants  me  to  play  —  all  alone." 


CBRISTMASTIDE.  375 

"O  Kit!  yoa  can't,"  said  HaL  "When  TOO  faced 
the  audience,  it  would  seem  so  strange,  and  you  would 
lose  yoor  courage." 

"  No  I  wouldn't,  either !  Fd  say  to  myself,  *  Here's 
a  dinner  for  a  hungry  boy,'  and  then  I  wouldn't  mind 
the  people.  Mr.  Kriessman  is  sure  I  can  do  it ;  and 
I've  been  practising  all  the  evening.  A  real  concert ! 
Think  of  it.  Oh,  if  Joe  can  only  be  here! ' 

Dot  put  her  arms  round  his  neck,  and  kissed  him. 
Hal  winked  his  eyes  hard,  remembering  the  old  dreams 
in  the  garret. 

He  went  to  see  Mr.  Kriessman  the  next  day. 

"  The  boy  is  a  genius,  I  tell  you,  Mr.  Kenneth,"  said 
the  enthusiastic  professor.  "He  wffl  be  a  great 
man. — you  see,  yon  see!  He  has  the  soul,  the 
eyes,  the  touch.  He  faU !"  and  an  expression  of  lofty 
scorn  crossed  the  fair,  full  face. 

*•  But  he  has  had  so  little  practice1'  — 

"It  wffl  aO  be  right.  You  see,  you  see!  Just 
leave  him  to  u*c.  And  he  is  so  little ! " 

Hal  smiled.  Kit  did  not  bid  fair  to  become  the 
family  giant,  it  was  true. 

Not  a  moment  did  the  child  lose.  Dot  declareo. 
that  he  could  hardly  eat.  Charlie  was  in  high  delight 
when  she  heard  of  it;  for  Mr.  Darol  was  going  to  take 
her  and  Miss  Charteris.  Hal  hardly  knew  whether  he 
dared  venture,  or  not. 

But  Joe  did  come  just  in  the  nick  of  time,  and  in* 


376  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

sisted  that  everybody  should  go,  ordering  a  carriage, 
and  bundling  Dot  and  Granny  into  it ;  poor  Granny 
being  so  confused  that  she  could  hardly  make  beginning 
or  end  of  it.  And,  when  they  were  seated  in  the  great 
hall  that  was  as  light  as  day,  she  glanced  helplessly 
around  to  Joe. 

"  Never  you  mind,  Granny !  I'm  not  a  bit  afraid," 
he  whispered.  "  He  will  fiddle  with  the  best  of  them." 

"  'The  wonderful  boy  violinist,'  it  said  on  the  pro 
gramme.  "  If  he  should  not  be  so  wonderful,"  thought 
Hal  quietly,  with  a  great  fear  in  his  soul.  He  could 
not  tell  what  should  make  him  so  nervous. 

Mr.  Darol  came  and  spoke  to  them.  "  Isn't  it 
odd?"  he  said  with  a  laugh.  "  Why,  I  never  dreamed 
of  it  until  Charlie  told  me !  I  wouldn't  have  missed 
it  for  any  thing." 

The  concert  began.  There  was  an  orchestral  over- 
ture, then  a  fine  quartet,  a  cornet  solo,  and  so  they  went 
on.  Hal  followed  the  programme  down.  Then  he 
drew  a  long  breath,  and  looked  neither  to  the  right  nor 
the  left.  That  little  chap  perched  up  on  the  stage, 
Kit?  making  his  bow,  and  adjusting  his  violin,  and  — 
hark ! 

It  was  not  the  story  of  the  child  lost  in  the  storm, 
but  something  equally  pathetic.  Mr.  Kriessman  had 
made  a  fortunate  selection.  Curiosity  died  out  in  the 
faces  of  the  audience,  and  eagerness  took  its  place. 
Ah,  Mhat  soft,  delicious  strains!  Was  it  the  violin, 


CHRrSTMASTIDE.  377 

or  the  soul  of  the  plaj-er?  Not  a  faltering  note,  not  a 
sign  of  fear ;  and  Hal  laughed  softly  to  himself.  On* 
and  on,  now  like  the  voice  of  a  bird,  then  the  rustle  of 
leaves,  the  tinkle  of  waters,  fainter,  fainter,  a  mere 
echo,  —  a  bow,  and  he  was  gone. 

There  was  a  rapturous  round  of  applause.  It  nearly 
subsided  once,  then  began  so  vehemently  that  it  brought 
Kit  out  again.  But  this  time  he  was  the  gayest  little 
fiddler  that  ever  played  at  an  Irish  fair.  People 
nodded  and  smiled  to  each  other,  and  felt  as  if  they 
must  dance  a  jig  in  another  moment. 

Joe  bent  over  to  Granny. 

"  Isn't  that  gay  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Kit  has  beaten  the 
lot  of  us.  Granny,  if  you  are  not  proud  of  him,  I'll 
take  you  straight  home,  and  keep  you  on  bread  and 
water  for  a  month." 

Proud  of  him !  Why,  Granny  sat  there  crj-ing  her 
old  eyes  out  from  pure  joy.  Her  darling  little 
Kit! 

"  Dot,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Darol  as  they  were  going 
/>ut,  "  we  shall  hear  of  you  as  an  actress  next.  I 
never  knew  of  such  wonderful  people  in  my  life." 

"  Oh,  it  was  magnificent!"  said  Charlie.  "And 
the  applause !  " 

"  That  I  should  have  lived  to  see  the  day ! " 

"  Why,  Granny,  it  would  have  been  very  unkind  of 
you  if  you  had  not,"  declared  Joe  solemnly. 

How  they  all  reached  home,  they  never  exactly  knew 


378  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

They  laughed  and  cried,  and  it  was  almost  morning 
before  they  thought  of  going  to  bed. 

But  the  notices  next  day  were  as  good  as  a  feast. 
There  could  be  no  doubt  now.  Hal  understood  that 
from  henceforth  Kit  and  his  fiddle  would  be  insepara- 
ble. It  was  "  born  in  him,"  as  Joe  said.  As  for  Kit, 
he  hardly  knew  whether  he  were  in  the  body,  or  out  of 
the  body. 

Hal  and  Dot  set  about  making  up  accounts  the  day 
before  Christmas.  The  three-months'  proceeds  had 
been  two  hundred  and  sixty  dollars ;  pretty  fair  for  a 
beginning,  and  a  whole  green-house  full  of  flowers 
coming  into  bloom.  He  was  on  the  high  road  to  pros- 
perity. So  he  fastened  his  glasses,  put  on  his  coal, 
and  arranged  his  heat  cut-offs  for  the  night,  and  came 
into  the  house.  There  were  Dot  and  Kit  and  Charlie, 
and  the  supper  waiting. 

"  And  there  is  the  six-months'  interest,"  said  Hal. 
"  Next  year  we  can  let  up  a  little  on  dear,  generous 
Joe.  And  to-night  is  Christmas  Eve." 

Joe  rushed  in. 

"  What  do  you  think,  Granny?  I've  just  come  from 
Flossy's.  They  have  a  beautiful  little  boy  named  Hal 
Kenneth,  —  a  real  Christmas  gift,  and  no  mistake. 
Here's  to  your  namesake,  Hal ;  though,  try  his  best,  he 
can  never  be  half  as  good  as  you." 

I  do  believe  poor,  foolish  Hal  had  his  eyes  full  of 
tears,  thinking  of  Flossj-'s  great  joy.  But  Charlie 
and  Kit  cheered  in  a  tremendous  fashion. 


CHSJSTMASTfDE.  379 

Alter  the  supper  was  cleared  away,  they  sat  in  a  lit- 
tle circle,  and  talked.  There  always  was  so  much  to 
say,  and  Joe  liked  nothing  half  so  well  as  to  hear  of 
every  event  that  had  transpired  in  his  absence.  They 
all  kept  such  a  warm  interest  in  each  other ! 

Somehow  they  strayed  back  to  the  last  Christmas, 
and  the  4i  songs  in  the  night." 

"  Sing  again,"  besought  Granny. 

Dof  s  birdlike  voice  was  first  to  raise  its  clear  notes. 
One  hymn  was  dearer  than  all  the  rest.  The  music 
quivered  a  little  when  they  came  to  this  verse,  as  if 
tears  and  heart-throbs  were  not  far  off:  — 

"Wonderful  night! 
Sweet  be  thy  rest  to  the  weary! 
^y«vintr  the  doll  heart  and  dreary 
Laugh  with  a  dream  of  delight. 
Wonderful,  wonderful  night!" 

And  then  a  tender  silence  fell  over  them.  They 
clasped  each  other's  hands  softly,  and  the  breaths  had 
a  strangled  sound.  Granny  alive,  Joe  raised  from 
the  dead,  Kit  some  day  to  be  a  famous  musician ! 

Joe  crept  up  to  Granny,  and  kissed  her  wrinkled 
face.  Somehow  it  seemed  as  if  the  furrows  began  to 
fill  out. 

44  Oh,"  he  said  huskily,  "  there's  nothing  in  the 
world  so  wonderful,  nor  so  sweet,  nor  so  precious  as 
*  The  Old  Woman  who  lived  in  a  Shoe ! '  When  I 
think  of  her  love,  her  patient  toil,  her  many  cares,  and 


380  THERE'S    NO    PLACE    LIKE    HOME. 

the  untiring  devotion  with  which  she  has  labored  fo? 
us  all,  I  feel  that  we  can  never,  never  repay  her.  0 
Granny ! " 

"I've  been  glad  to  have  you  all,  God  knows. 
There  wasn't  one  too  many." 

Not  one  of  the  loving  arms  that  encircled  her  could 
have  been  spared.  There  she  sat  enthroned,  a  prouder 
woman  to-night,  poor  old  Granny  Kenneth,  than  many 
a  duchess  in  a  blaze  of  diamonds.  Fair  Florence ; 
laughing  Joe,  with  his  great,  warm  heart ;  sweet,  tender 
Hal ;  racketing  Charlie  ;  Kit,  with  his  scalp-lock  wav- 
ing in  the  breeze  ;  and  dear  little  Dot,  — jewels  enough 
for  any  woman,  surely  ! 

Ah,  children !  love  her  with  the  best  there  is  in 
your  fresh  young  souls.  Make  the  paths  smooth  for 
her  weary  feet,  remembering  the  years  she  has  trudged 
on  the  thorn}"  highway  of  life  for  your  sakes.  When 
the  eyes  grow  dim,  bring  the  brightest  in  your  lives  to 
glorify  her  way.  Cling  to  her,  kiss  warmth 'into  the 
pale  lips ;  for  when  she  has  gone  to  heaven  it  will 
seem  all  too  little  at  the  best.  True,  she  will  reap  her 
reward  there  ;  but  it  is  sweet  to  have  a  foretaste  of  it  in 
your  smiles,  as  well.  Dear  Granny,  who  has  made 
toil  heroic,  and  old  age  lovely,  and  out  of  whose 
simple,  e very-da}'  existence  have  blossomed  the  rosea 
that  still  render  this  old  world  bright  and  glorious,  — 
Love,  Labor,  Faith ! 


THE   DOUGLAS   NOVELS. 

BY  MISS  AMANDA  M.  DOUGLAS. 


Uniform   Volunu*.    Price  fl£0  Each. 

FLOYD    GRANDON'S    HONOR. 
"Fascinating  throughout,  and  worthy  of  the  reputation  of  the 
-Ptiiludt/phia  Methodist. 

WHOM    KATHIE    MARRIED. 

Kathie  was  the  heroine  of  the  popular  series  of  Kathie  Stories  for 
youug  people,  the  readers  of  which  were  very  anxious  to  know  with 
whom  kathie  settled  down  in  life.  Hence  this  stoiy,  charmingly  written. 

LOST    IN    A    GREAT    CITY. 

"  There  is  the  power  of  delineation  and  robustness  of  expression  that 
would  credit  a  masculine  hand  in  the  present  volume,  and  the  reader 
will  at  no  stage  of  the  reading  regret  having  commenced  its  perusal.  In 
Borne  parts  it  i«  pathetic,  even  to  eloquence."  —  San  Francisco  Fbtt. 

THE   OLD   WOMAN   WlaO   LIVED   IN   A   SHOE. 
"  The  romances  of  Miss  Douglas's  creation  are  all  thrUUugly  iulereat- 
Ing."  —  Cambridge  Tribune. 

HOPE   MILLS;  or,  Between  Friend  and  Sweetheart. 
"  Amanda  Douglas  is  one  of  the  favorite  authors  of  American  novd- 
readers,"  —  Manclttiter  Mirror. 

FROM    HAND    TO    MOUTH. 

"  There  is  real  satisfaction  In  reading  this  book,  from  the  fact  that  w» 
can  so  readily  •  take  it  home '  to  ourselves."  —  Portland  Argus. 

NELLY    KINNARD'S    KINGDOM. 

"  The  Hartford  Religious  Herald  "  says,  "  This  story  is  so  fascinating, 
that  oue  can  hardly  lay  it  down  after  taking  it  up." 

IN  TRUST;  or,  Dr.  Bertrand's  Household. 
"She  writes  iu  a  free,  fresh,  and  natural  way;  and  her  characters  are 
never  overdrawn."—  MauchetUr  Mirror. 

CLAUDIA. 

"  The  plot  is  very  dramatic,  and  the  tlenoiimtnt  startling.  Clandia,  th« 
heroine,  is  one  of  those  self-sacrilicing  characters  which  it  is  the  glory  of 
the  female  sex  to  produce."  —  Boston  Journal. 

STEPHEN    DANE. 

"  This  fe  one  of  thl*  author's  happiest  and  most  suceeocful  attempts  at 
novel-writing,  for  which  a  grateful  public  will  applaud  her."  —  Herald. 

HOME    NOOK ;  or,  the  Crown  of  Duty. 
"  An  interesting  story  of  home-life,  not  wanting  in  incident,  and  written 
in  forcible  and  attractive  style."  —  Neat  -  York  Graphic. 

SYDNIE    ADRIANCE ;   or,  Trying:  the  World. 
"  The  works  of  Miss  Douglas  have  stood  the  test  of  popular  judgment, 
and  become  the  fashion.    They  are  true,  natural  in  delineation,  pure  and 
elevating  in  their  tone."  —  Ef press,  Eatton,  flenn. 

SEVEN    DAUGHTERS. 

The  charm  of  the  story  is  the  perfectly  natural  and  home-like  air  which 
pervades  iu 

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SOPHIE  MAY'S  "GROWN-UP"  BOOKS. 


Uniform  Binding.    All  Handsomely  Illustrated,    fl.50. 


JANET,  A   POOR   HEIRESS. 

"The  heroine  of  this  story  is  a  true  girl.  An  imperious,  fault-finding, 
nnappreciative  father  alienates  her  love,  and  nearly  ruins  her  temper. 
The  mother  knows  the  father  is  at  fault,  but  does  not  dare  to  say  so. 
Then  comes  a  discovery,  that  she  is  only  an  adopted  daughter;  a  for- 
Baking  of  the  old  home;  a  life  of  strange  vicissitudes;  a  return;  a  mar- 
riage  under  difficulties;  and  a  discovery,  that,  after  all,  she  is  an  heiress. 
The  story  is  certainly  a  very  attractive  one." —  Chicago  Interior. 

THE    DOCTOR'S    DAUGHTER. 

"  Sophie  May,  author  of  the  renowned  Prudy  and  Dotty  books,  has 
achieved  another  triumph  in  the  new  book  with  this  title  just  issued, 
She  has  taken  'a  new  departure'  this  time,  and  written  a  new  story  for 
grown-up  folks.  If  we  are  not  much  mistaken,  the  young  folks  will 
want  to  read  it,  as  much  as  the  old  folks  want  to  read  the  books  written 
for  the  young  ones.  It  is  a  splendid  story  for  all  ages."  —  Lynn  Semi- 
Weekly  Recorder. 

THE    ASBURY    TWINS. 

"  The  announcement  of  another  work  by  this  charming  and  popular 
writer  will  be  heartily  welcomed  by  the  public.  And  in  this  sensible, 
fascinating  story  of  the  twin-sisters,  '  Vic'  and  '  Van,'  they  have  before 
them  a  genuine  treat.  Vic  writes  her  story  in  one  chapter,  and  Van  in 
the  next,  and  so  on  through  the  book.  Van  is  frank,  honest,  and  practi- 
cal; Vic  wild,  venturesome,  and  witty;  and  both  of  them  natural  and 
winning.  At  home  or  abroad,  they  are  true  to  their  individuality,  and 
see  things  with  their  owu  eyes.  It  is  a  fresh,  delightful  volume,  well 
•worthy  of  ita  gifted  author."  —  Boston  Contributor. 

OUR    HELEN. 

" '  Our  Helen '  is  Sophie  May's  latest  creation ;  and  i>he  ie  a  bright, 
brave  girl,  that  the  youug  people  will  all  like.  We  are  pleased  to  meet 
with  some  old  friends  in  the  book.  It  is  a  good  companion-book  for  the 
'  Doctor's  Daughter,'  and  the  two  should  go  together.  Queer  old  Mrs. 
O'Xeil  still  lives,  to  indulge  in  the  reminiscences  of  the  young  men  of 
Maehias;  and  other  Quinuebasset  people  with  familiar  names  occa.-ionally 
appear,  along  with  new  ones  who  are  worth  knowing.  '  Our  Helen  '  is  a 
noble  and  unselfish  giri,  but  with  a  mind  aud  will  of  her  own;  and  the 
contrast  between  her  and  pretty,  fascinating,  selfish  little  Sharley,  is  very 
finely  drawn.  Lee  &  Shepard  publish  it."  —  Ho/yoke  Transcript. 

QUINNEBASSET    GIRLS. 

"The  story  is  a  very  attractive  one,  as  free  from  the  sensational  and 
Impossible  as  could  be  desired,  and  at  the  same  time  full  of  interest,  aud 
pervaded  by  the  same  bright,  cheery  sunshine  that  we  find  in  the  author's 
earlier  books.  She  is  to  be  congratulated  on  the  success  of  her  essay  in 
a  new  field  of  literature,  to  which  she  will  be  warmly  welcomed  by  those 
who  know  and  admire  her  '  Prudy  Books.'  " 


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